Your Top Tips on How to Make a Bad Day Better

Wouldn’t it be great if every day could be a “walk in the park?” Unfortunately, sometimes you will have those days when you groan, “Why me?” Well, because bad days happen!

Now for the good news. While you can’t always avoid bad days, you can decide how to deal with them. Some people skulk around, chewing over the bad stuff but a better idea is to take action to turn your bad day around and drive the gloom away.

You can do this with something as simple and effective as getting a little exercise. You could go for a walk in the park walk, for example, which can help to release feel-good chemicals in your brain.

Perhaps you could ask a friend or a colleague out for a coffee to talk things over, or just do someone else a good turn. The buzz you get from performing a small act of kindness can recharge your whole day.

You Can Make a Bad Day Better

There’s a range of things you can do to make a bad day better. We asked you, our friends and followers on social media for your ideas and suggestions for “How do you make a bad day better?”

As usual, our Twitter followers got straight to the point. “A long walk… without your phone!” was the recommendation from the folks at @clockworkTalent.  

And while we at Mind Tools certainly don’t recommend over-indulging in alcohol, we have to admit that we like the one-word reply form @Bexter_74, “Prosecco!” That would certainly add a bit of sparkle to your day. But, in the long run, “Yoga,” would be a healthier option. Thank you to @JoanneWragg1 for that idea.

On a more cerebral note, @FrauStief suggested, “Go to a place you love (even it’s just in your mind), hide everything else for a while, restart.”

Do Someone a Good Turn

Our LinkedIn friends provided us with more words of wisdom. Mark Andrews suggested, “Do something nice for others, even something as small as getting the coffees in! You’ll be surprised how much better it makes you feel, and the breathing space will do you good.”

Gratitude and reflection emerged as popular routes to making a bad day better. “Be grateful for the small things in life whatever they may be, as there is always someone out there struggling through significant pain! Happy days to all of us. Hugs and smiles go a long way for all those bad days!” That’s some great positive thinking from Emma Power.

Marcus Burton said, “Try to keep things in perspective. However bad your day may be, you can guarantee that someone else is having a much worse one. Be thankful for simple things (food on the table, a roof over your head, having a loving and caring family). Take a short break from the daily grind and notice the small things (the warmth of the sun on your face, birds singing, smell the flowers).” Great stuff, Marcus.

For Kimberly Oliveira, it’s as much about assertiveness as reflection. She makes a bad day better by “acknowledging that it’s just a bad day, knowing everyone has them from time to time, and by not allowing a bad day to become bad week or month. Reflect on the behaviors and attitudes (including your own) and the situations and the events that made it ‘bad,’ learn and grow from them, and continue kicking butt!”

Stay in the Moment

Philosophy is never far from your thinking. Barbara Sammon said, “Always see beyond the moment. See what’s to come. We all know we are working towards the big picture. We all started for a reason, so why let a bump in the road distort your vision.” 

Lindsay Hayes added, “Remind yourself that you’re having a bad day, not a bad life. It’s temporary.”  And some straight-forward reasoning from Maricel M. She said, “Make today the best day of your life because there is simply no good reason not to.” 

For Martin Hipwell it’s as simple as, “Smile.”

Life is a Gift

As usual we had some fabulous contributions from our Facebook friends. The guys at Personal Growth And Development offered this quotation from renowned life coach Tony Robbins, “Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.”

Julie Sedam Moorehouse said, “Think of three things you are grateful for. You get what you focus on!”

While, over on Instagram, ydcon added, “A good dose of #exercise.” But, being thankful seems to be key to making a bad day better. Just ask iamsamanthasmith. She said, “Practicing gratitude… Thinking about all the things that I’m grateful for. Thinking about the things that bring me joy. Complimenting others. Looking at clips that make me laugh. Performing random acts of kindness. Make a decision to be happy and remember that I’m powerful enough to do that and honor that decision.”

That was a great social media session, so thanks to all who contributed. But it’s not too late to add your thoughts on how to make a bad better. Just put your ideas in the comments section, below.