G1: How to deal with difficult days at work

So, you are having some bad day at work? I have had mine. My boss had hers. It is fair to assume that people who have been in a workplace for a while have experienced ‘one of those days.’

Usually I have seen that when something bad happens at work, it is almost impossible to keep working. You just want to go home and forget that anything happened.

The thought of interacting with your coworkers or boss is dreadful, and you cannot help beating yourself up mentally about how big of a failure you are.

Doesn’t that sound familiar?

If it does, don’t worry. You are not alone.

We all have bad days. I know that I am overly sensitive, and I am very hard on myself, so the amount of times I have a bad day is higher than it probably should be.

I love my job and the reality is I really have no reason why my days should ever be bad, but I cannot help it.

I get into this thought pattern where I spiral out of control, and it goes from a simple mistake to me thinking I am dumbest person alive.

But the truth is, and this is really important for anyone that has ever had a bad day, is that you are the one making it worse...!!

You are playing tricks on yourself.

You are causing yourself to have an even worse day than you really are.

We all make mistakes. We all have things happen to us like our cards breaking down. It’s how we handle those situations that make us who we are.

Remember: perception is reality. And if you perceive that you are having a bad day and it cannot get any better, then you will have a bad day that won’t get any better. It becomes a self- fulfilling prophecy. You end up convincing yourself that your day is terrible, you are terrible and there is nothing you can do about it.

You are wrong, my darling- absolutely wrong.

The trick is to just move on. Obviously, it is easier said than done, but you need to learn how to get over it quickly so that you can bounce back. It is important to take some steps to stop from going bad to worse and letting it affect your work life. With that in mind, rather than doing or saying something that may land you in hot water, here I have tried to collate a list of few techniques which I am learning (still in process) that could help you too to cope with a bad day.

1. Shake it off- However, frustrating your day is getting- just ‘shake it off’. Don’t let it stay on your mind. Personally, I like to step into an empty room and walk inside for a while. It’s incredible what some lonely time and walking can do for your state of mind, as it immediately removes you from the situation that is frustrating you. It can be reinvigorating and a great way to refocus.

2. Do something to distract yourself- Distract your mind and you will feel light. Watch a funny video, read a book, draw or may be just sleep over it. Once your brain starts thinking about something good and positive, you will automatically feel better.

3. Write it down- It is very therapeutic to write out your problems. If you are going through a rough day and you have a lot of thoughts on your mind, you can do something as simple as send an email to yourself, or may be write a blog :P (like I did and trust me, it helps, really helps!)

4. Talk to someone- Reach out to a trusted colleague and have a quick coffee to brighten up your spirit at the end of a challenging day. Just sharing out loud to a trusted friend or individual can often help you look at things holistically and may enable you to figure out what to do about the situation or to start improving it.

5. Show empathy- This one can be tough but doable. The person who is responsible for your bad mood might be dealing with tough stuff in their personal life. Think about it. Try to empathise and not take it too personally. If you can build up that empathy maybe you won’t get into as bad of a mood because you will be more understanding.

6. Count your blessings- It is normal to feel like everything sucks on those bad days, so it is important to remember all the good things you have in your life. Be positive and be grateful for all you have.

7. It is not the end of the world- Oh please! The world is not ending here. It may seem that everything is daunting, and you might feel you are stuck in a rut. However, this likely isn’t the first time you have been faced with a challenge, and remember, you can get through. Keep faith. Take a deep breath and think start another day with a positive mindset.

Do you also have tough days at work? I am sure everyone has.  What is your way of dealing with it? Did these points help?

Do share your feedback in the comment section below.