Having a bad day at work? A tough day can start with something as simple as misplacing your car keys but there’s no need to let a challenging start turn your whole day upside down. While more complex problems like conflict with co-workers can be difficult to manage, there are still plenty of steps you can take to lift your mood. Need a new job? Find vacancies on Job Mail today.

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Pause for a moment

Pause for a moment and take a few deep breaths. A bad day can send us into a panic, which is difficult to get out of. As your stress levels rise and you rush around, it’s easier to make mistakes. Rather than letting things spiral out of control, stop for a few minutes to find your centre.

Get moving

Get your body moving by going for a short but fast-paced walk around your office block. You’ll increase the oxygen flow to your brain, clear your head, and gain a fresh perspective on your problems. Exercise also gives your serotonin levels a boost, which helps to improve your mood.

Listen to music

Put on your headphones and listen to your favourite songs. Uplifting music is sure to make you feel a little better. You could also try playing relaxation music to calm your nerves. The bonus of using headphones is that you’ll drown out the office noise and decrease the chances of anyone disturbing you.

Write it down

Writing is a great opportunity to express how you are feeling. Sometimes writing down your frustrations, anger or sadness can help to release these emotions and put things into perspective. Put pen to paper and free write without any planning. Tear up the document afterwards and throw it away or delete it if it’s on your computer. Once you’ve expressed yourself, consider what you can change about the situation.

Laugh

Laughing releases stress and can help you to see the situation more positively. Laughing also releases endorphins, which can lift your mood. Put on a funny YouTube video or watch part of a comedy show online and turn your bad day into a good one.

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Focus on your work

A bad start to your day can throw your whole schedule off course. As the day progresses, your stress levels can increase if you get behind in your work. Rather than allowing your problems to multiply, focus on getting your work done. Completing tasks and having a productive day can make you feel better. The time will pass faster if you’re busy, so you’ll be back home before you know it.

Eat healthy food

While you may be tempted to binge on junk food to make yourself feel better, healthy food gives your body the fuel that it needs. While junk food can cause a drop in energy after lunch, a healthy meal will fuel you for the whole day. Good nutrition also plays a role in stabilising your mood, which makes handling bad days easier.

Practice gratitude

While it’s helpful to take time out to address your problems, don’t spend the whole day ruminating on everything that has gone wrong. Take a few moments to write down everything you’re grateful for. While this won’t solve your problems, it will help to put things into perspective. Often when we’re feeling overwhelmed, we can forget about the good things happening in our lives.

Feel your emotions

Trying to escape from your feelings only makes them grow bigger. Every emotion has a purpose so it can be helpful to feel the emotions and then release them. Once you’ve taken the time to experience your emotions, you can try to figure out what message your emotion has for you later. Anger may indicate that someone’s stepped over a boundary that is important to you or it could be covering up feelings of sadness.

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Now that you know how to handle a bad day at work, you can look forward to a more productive year. While it’s impossible to escape those difficult days, you can learn how to deal with them. If you’re looking for a new job, you can find vacancies on Job Mail and submit your CV today.