Are you having a tough day at the office?
Did your best friend just stand you up for lunch?
Was it a rough weekend and you don’t want to be at work?
We all have these days when nothing seems to go right and everything bugs us. And when things go wrong, when have two choices: be a baby about it or shake it off.
Okay, that was harsh. When I say, “Be a baby about it,” what i really mean is that you buy into the bad things that are happening and put off negative energy. Law of Attraction people would say that you are lowering your frequency. And this just makes things worse – or just make things seem worse. So you can do better.
You shake it off. You might be skilled enough to just tell yourself, “Okay, that was fun, and I’m moving on.” If you are, good for you! I’m getting there – but every now and then, I still need a few distractions to help Change My Latitude and My Attitude. That’s what inspired this post.
So here are Ten “10 minute routines” that you can use to reset your day when the shit hits the fan:
1. Walk
First of all, just going for a ten minute walk around the block or the campus or the office building or your neighborhood can give you a good pick-me-up and help you shake it off. An article on Wise Bread outlined ten ways a walk can benefit you, including burning calories, decreasing depression, increasing brain function, and decreasing pain. What other excuse do you need?
2. Meditate
Oh, how I love me some meditation. My practice can use some work, for sure, but I always love how I feel afterwards. You don’t have to chant or hum or anything like that, you can just sit in silence and let the thoughts come…then go back to the stillness.
There are dozens of meditation podcasts and audiobooks out there if you need something guided to shake it off. Mind Body Green suggests that ten minutes of meditation can alleviate stress, pain, anxiety, insomnia, and cardiovascular disease. So once again, what other excuse do you need?
3. Call someone
Misery loves company.
Just kidding.
A ten minute call with your best friend, significant other, parent or sibling can help you shake it off and get you back to your old self again. Just call them up, “just because” and you can either share your crappy day with them or just let them know that you love them and miss them.
[ctt template=”8″ link=”lW62L” via=”yes” ]Connecting with someone you love during a bad day can be a real mood booster. [/ctt]
4. Close your door
Even just closing your door and removing yourself from the craziness out in the lobby or the department or division can be a nice break. While you are sitting in silence with your door closed, you could also meditate or make little fists with your toes or read. Or you can just sit. And be quiet. Let the time pass. Shake it off. Open the door and go back to the day – but you’ll feel a lot more centered.
5. “Make Little Fists with Your Toes”
In the early part of the opening scenes of DIE HARD, a stranger on the plane tells John McClain his secret of air travel. And it’s making fists with your toes. What you are really doing is tensing up muscles and then releasing the tension. This is known as Progressive Muscle Relaxation and it’s a widely used practice that really does work! Shake it off by making those little fists.
6. Fuel Your Body
Eat.
Sometimes just a little bit of fuel can make the difference. Or, for that matter, drinking a big glass of water or two. Dehydration can really be a bugger if you let it go on too long.
I try to have snacks in my office for moments like this – and easy things that are relatively good for you but not super perishable. Instant oatmeal. Protein bars. Granola. And I always bring one piece of fruit to work each day as well. I should bring more.
Shake off that bad day with a snack that fuels you and move on.
7. Read
Due to all of our amazing technology these days, there are things to read EVERYWHERE. Which means, there are ZERO excuses not to read. Even if you don’t have a kindle or an iPad, I’ll bet you have a smart phone. And that smart phone can download an e-book app like Kindle or Nook. And you can totally find some free e-books out there to read when you need to take a break.
You can also pull something off your shelf that’s related to your industry. I have a ton of things in my office about fundraising, so when I need a brain reset, sometimes I grab those things to look at because they remind me what I’m doing here and why it’s important.
Or you could read Entertainment Weekly. I do that too, sometimes.
8. Listen to a podcast
Oh how I love me some podcasts, too! And there are SO MANY out there these days – there is literally a podcast for any and everything. If you just do a search, you can find so much information.
I’m a big fan of Meditation Minis from Chel Hamilton. They are right about 10 minutes long (even with the short ad) and her voice is quite calming. This would be the perfect reset to your anxiety-filled day!!
Or – check out those crazy gals on That’s So Retrograde. This is a health and wellness podcast, but sometimes it’s also a knock down drag out comedy show. These ladies are hysterical, but they are also filled with a ton of great information about all sorts of health and wellness “stuff”.
Finally, Spirit Purpose and Energy is another favorite of mine – JJ Flizanes is a wonderful host and trainer. These podcasts have really helped me change my life.
9. Look at something around you that fills you with joy
I love the movie, “The Quiet Man” with John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. Her character, Mary Kate, feels quite strongly about her dowry. She says to Sean Thornton, ““Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed of havin’ my own things about me.” And I feel the same way. There are things in my office and in my home that I must have around me because they bring me inspiration and remind me of important moments with friends and family.
On a daily basis, I can look at any little trinket in my office and tell you who gave it to me and what significance it brings. And if I’m having a tough day, I often look at one or more of those things and remember the person it came from. And then I usually have a big smile to put on my face so I can move on with the day.
10. Rock out to seriously loud and angry music
I have some favorite songs to rock out to when I’ve had a bad day. And I usually reserve them for my commute home so that I get my funk out before I hang out with my hubby and dog.
There is something to be said for the catharsis which occurs when music is part of the mix. But you need headphones if you are going to do this in the middle of the work day, of course; and you’ll probably need to do this with your door closed or possibly on your walk.
BONUS – make a gratitude list about your job
YES – you can.
Especially relevant to this conversation is to remind yourself of all the good things you have at your current gig. Yes, you totally have them. Get a sheet of paper and put down numbers one through ten. And come up with ten reasons why you appreciate your job. You can say things like “I get a salary” or “I like my parking space”. But I’m sure you’ll come up with other things, too.
“My boss rocks.”
“I am appreciative of my amazing co-workers.”
“I appreciate that my health benefits are completely covered.”
Get it? There’s no reason why you can’t find the good in your gig during a tough day.
The next time you are having a cruddy day, pull out this list and pick one so you can have a quick, 10-minute reset. I’ve done all of these and they all work. Pick a Reset, do it, and go back to your day. You CAN do this. And you won’t have to go home angry.
Unless, of course, you continue on with the angry rocking music thing.
