Ten Easy Ways to Improve Your Mood When You've Had a Rough Day

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Let's face it, when life gives you lemons, you don't always feel like lemonade. For some of us, a bad day at work, an unexpected bill or the total wet blanket that is lockdown can see you reaching for something a little more heavy duty than citrus juice. If the standard Netflix and takeout self-soothing strategy has worn thin, we get it. And that's why we've put together a few strategies to try next time life tosses you a curveball.

PRIORITISE YOUR SLEEP

How many days of the week do you wake up and feel like you've actually had enough sleep? For us, it's minus three. So when everything hits the fan, one thing we like to focus on is getting a good night's sleep. If you have a hard time falling asleep, there are a few habits you can incorporate into your nightly routine to wind down more easily. NSW Health recommends doing an activity that you find relaxing for an hour or so before bed like reading or taking a bath. Or, you could try incorporating a sleep supplement into your routine to assist in de-stressing from the day and to help you hit the hay at a reasonable hour.

TAKE A SOCIAL MEDIA BREAK

When things have gone awry it can be easy to distract yourself with mindless activities to escape. One way you might do that is by spending hours doomscrolling on social media platforms. And while social media definitely has its positives, it's not like you can control what other people post. Typically, people use social media to make public declarations of wins they've had, and that's great. We love celebrating our friends. But, if you've just had a loss, no matter how big or small, seeing someone nailing life can send you into a tailspin. That's not to say you can't be happy for people in those moments — you absolutely can. But before you login after a tough day,  consider checking in with yourself and figure out whether or not you're emotionally prepared to deal with the feelings that may arise while being online.

TAKE YOUR VITAMINS

When you're not feeling 100 percent, taking active steps to look after your physical health is a great way to lift yourself out of your slump. Getting on top of the basics like good sleep, a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water is key. And, if you want to go even further, we recommend stocking up on vitamins from JSHealth, too. Whether you need something to help with skin health, hormone balance, sleep or stress, JSHealth has an extensive selection of supplements to choose from to help you take care of yourself. Plus, you'll get access to the JSHealth app for free with any order of vitamins — just use your order ID to access recipes, workouts, meditations and more, so you can get yourself back on track.

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR FINANCES

When you've had a doozy of a day, it can be useful to shift your focus to things that you actually have control over. One of those things is your cash. And while at times it may feel like your money controls you more than you control it, taking time to sort out your finances (and actually following through with your plan) is possible. It can be useful to think of your money like other parts of your wellbeing. For example, if you want to start running, signing up for a marathon may not be the best place to start. The same applies to your dollarydoos. If you need to pay off some debt, want to bolster your savings or have a desire to start investing, you've gotta make time for it. And like running, if you stick to your plan, you'll get closer to your goal every day. Check out the Australian Government's moneysmart website for free tips on how to make your cash make sense (and cents).

GET TRIPLE CLEAN

We're all fans of freshly washed sheets, right? Crisp, warm and straight of the line on a sunny day are the top-tier kind. But to boost your mood on a less-than-average day, you've got to step things up a notch and get yourself triple clean. Let us talk you through what we mean. Step one is to strip your bed sheets and give your mattress a makeover with a fresh set of threads. Step two is to strip yourself and get squeaky clean in the shower. Then, it's time for step three — fresh PJs. Yep, time to swap out last night's pizza-stained pants for a fresh pair and soon after you'll be feeling like a million-dollar triple-clean queen.

DIY PAMPER NIGHT

We've never had a bath that we later regretted — ever. So next time things feel like they're spiraling out of control, consider taking a moment to slow yourself down with an at-home pamper session. One of the great things about a DIY pamper sesh is you get to decide how extra you want it to be. If you feel like going all out, pick up a new face mask, bath salts, a candle and a cheeky bottle of something to take to the tub. Or, if you're more the spontaneous type, dig out that gift pack your Secret Santa gave you last year and actually use it. Whether you want to go all out with a foot scrub and at-home microdermabrasion or are stoked by the idea of a classic bubble bath, the whole point is for it to be relaxing — so don't stress over the set up. You can do a lot with dim lighting, a calming soundtrack and warm water.

GET SOME FRESH AIR

If you spend a lot of time working indoors, a quick whip around the block can do wonders to your mood after a wonky day. There's no need to rush your walk or worry about getting hardcore exercise in while you enjoy the outdoors, either. It's all about getting a change of scenery and a lil fresh air to take you far away from your desk for a moment. To heighten the experience, you can add your favourite podcast to soundtrack the stroll. Or, if you want to get really in touch with nature, go sans headphones and soak up the natural sounds of your surroundings.

MAKE A CONNECTION

When we're feeling down in the dumps, it can be hard to reach out to loved ones. It's easy to feel like you'll be terrible company and no-one wants to feel like the party pooper in the pack. But think about how many times you've gladly sat with a friend after a breakup. They weren't exactly the life of the party on those occasions but you still happily made yourself available in their time of need. And guess what? Your friends will absolutely want to do that in return. But, if being around people is a no-go for you in those moments of distress, consider making a connection with yourself, instead. You could do this by by journalling, meditating or engaging mindfully in one of your hobbies.

CROSS SOMETHING OFF YOUR LIFE ADMIN LIST

We all have a list of tasks we've been meaning to get to but for one reason or another it keeps getting put on the backburner. And even more unfortunately, as time goes on, the list keeps getting longer, too. Whether it's returning an online shopping purchase, consolidating your superannuation funds or finally booking your car in for a service — we've all got a thing or two we could cross off our lists. So next time you're feeling like you're in a funk, consult your mental to-do list and tackle one of its tasks for a lil pick me up.

SET A BOUNDARY

With work from home now a reality for a lot of us, the boundary between work and play has become increasingly blurry — which makes sense considering a lot of dining tables now double as work desks. With physical spaces melding together like this, it's more important than ever to create a healthy set of boundaries, and stick to them. One way to do that is to set times for when you'll respond to work questions (hot tip: try and stick to your regular work hours). Another boundary you may need to implement is knowing when to say no to social occasions so that you can schedule in essential alone time to recharge. Just remember, if your boundaries impact others (and they often do) it's a good idea to communicate what they are so that others can understand your limitations and respect them without trying to read your mind.

CP readers can take advantage of a 15% discount on all JSHealth products by using the code: CPLAYGROUND. Learn more about JSHealth by visiting the website here.

Images: Unsplash.