A day when the energies are low and there is no motivation or drive?
A day when the mind and body are tired and say “no” to work?
A day you would rightly term as unproductive?
What do you do on such a day?
The reasons might vary from physical or mental tensions or pressures, exhaustion, illness or simply an inexplicable “lowday”. What do you do that day?
All days are not the same, some days we surprise ourselves by achieving beyond our expectations and some days even the average task seems like the highest unconquerable mountain. The tips here might guide you to make the best of your lowdown day?
Prioritize
Well some things just need to be done, whether you like it or not. You must prioritize those at least. Do you have a meeting which you must absolutely attend? Do you have any deadlines for the day? Do you need to run an errand which must be done within the day? You got it; identify the “musts” first. What is urgent must move up on your priority list. Once you know what has to be done, identify the steps that you need to get that task off your plate. Ask yourself such questions:
- Would it help if I get it done right away, no matter how I feel?
- Would it be better to move this task a couple of hours from now so that I can give myself time to revive and feel more energized before I begin on the task?
You could choose any of these or what you find the best option, it all depends on the situation. The task might be time bound; in that case the second option might not be an option at all. Or you might not get that work done efficiently or provide quality so it would be better to choose the second option. You must evaluate first.
Inspiration Motivation
You might also need some inspiration or motivation to enliven the day and work towards some planned goals or plan some goals. You may read some tips on the above linked article and also would be a great idea to read the writings of those who inspire you. Just reading or viewing something that makes you feel happier or inspired brings satisfaction. You may not “get” something done as such but these activities help you elevate to a happier and satisfied self.
Physical Rejuvenation
At times when the mind is dull and lousy; it is time to rejuvenate the mind with physical activity or even meditation. Physical activity and meditation brings more oxygen to your brain, boosts your adrenaline levels that gives you some instant energy and you start feeling good.
Even eating and drinking the “right things” brings our energy levels up and revs us up. Although coffee and sweetened drinks might also get you on a “high” for some time, the long term rush would be better if it comes from some good workout and healthy eating. “Moderate intensity aerobic exercise improves mood immediately and those improvements can last up to 12 hours,” concludes study lead researcher Jeremy Sibold, Ed.D., at the University of Vermont, Burlington.
Count your Blessings
Oh yes, you did not expect this to be on your list, but believe me it works. There could be days when you feel depressed for no reason whatsoever but many of such days do have some reason, don’t run away from the analysis; confront them. Why are you feeling low today? List all possible reasons – any incident that happened the day before, or any physical reasons? The point is once you know the cause it is easy to find a remedy; diagnosis is key to improvement of the situation. And there may be many different reasons. Now if you have fallen in the depths of low self-esteem and self-worth then just count your blessings. Think about the many people who do not have even a fourth of what you have, think about the people who love you – call them talk to them. Think about the people who need you, who respect you. Just don’t put down yourself, you are special and have a lot to do to help make this world or someone else’s world a better place. Contributing to a charity or a random act of kindness might be something you can consider doing today – it will make you feel better for sure.
Have Fun
Continuous work pressure and addiction to work often results in a burn-out. Avoid getting to this stage by working in spurts, when inactive make it fun so that you can get back to work refreshed and prove to be more productive. But if this is one of the rare days when no motivation would get you to make use of this day positively at work – then consider taking the day off from work (if possible). Do what makes you feel happier – shopping, meeting friends, playing with your kids, watching your favorite movie, reading a great book, meditation, me-time or what-else-pleases-you-the-most. Just do it and make the best of the day. Put your expectations on the back seat and don’t whine over what did not get done, enjoy and live the moment, you’ll get that done another day. At least it would be a day well spent – a nice investment toward your rejuvenation!
Tip:
It is also a good idea to have a document on your computer or some notes at the back of your calendar (or any PDA/phone) where you note down such tips on what to do when you are feeling “down under”. Such days bring depressing feelings and often it is not easy to collect your thoughts and plan any action items, but if you have the tips ready on how to brighten up the hours and make your day productive, you can get something done and make that day count. Just keep some tips handy and choose from the list what appeals you the most that day.
Question: What would you do or what have you done on a “lowdown day”?