When It’s a Dark Day, I….

Today in Chicago, I woke up to a gray, cloudy day. It seemed like from the moment I woke up, I was in a terrible mood. Ever have those days? First, I’m glad I recognized my gross mood; but second, I questioned how on earth I was going to have a good day if I started off on the wrong foot. Here are a few suggestions to get you back on track.

Call Someone

I have a go-to person that I call whenever I’m in a terrible mood. All I have to do is sigh and she knows what is coming next. That’s exactly what I did today. I gave her a call, sighed, and said, “today is not it.” Just by talking with her, even though we didn’t stay on topic, I was able to refocus and reframe my thinking. Sometimes all it takes is talking to someone who just gets you to change your perspective on the day.

Make an Action Plan

I say this to my clients all the time, “You have to sometimes be in manual mode.” On most days, things are pretty automatic. I wake up, get ready for the day, and review my schedule to see what I need to get done. But some days, like today, I have to drive in manual. Meaning, I have to make an extra effort to get ready and an extra push to get the “to-do’s” done. Just by making a mental note that today is going to be manual instead of automatic can sometimes give you the extra push to move forward.

Get Cozy

Whenever I have these kinds of days, I make a few adjustments to my day. I’m a type A when it comes to work. I’m very organized… even down to setting my outfit out the night before. But on these days, sometimes this organization gets a change in plans. So today, for example, I decided that in order to be productive, I needed to get cozy. I changed my outfit to a more warm and fuzzy, relaxed look. I got some hot peppermint tea, and I turned down the lighting. When I feel relaxed, I stay calm. My mind doesn’t race as much and I am much more productive.

My Take Away…

We all have those dark, cloudy days. What you make of those days will make or break you. Be careful not to fall into unhealthy patterns. Stay productive, even if that means being cozy while doing so. Go into manual mode instead of your usual automatic routine, and reach out to someone to change the pace.