How To Make a Bad Day Better: 10 Proven + Quick Strategies

Bad days are exhausting and can be overwhelming. Here are 10 easy and effective tricks for how to make a bad day better.

One Monday morning, I was running late and frantically trying to get myself ready, pack lunches, and get my girls dressed in their snowsuits. I managed to drop them off just as the bell rang, but I couldn’t shake the feeling I’d forgotten something.

Five minutes before I got to the office, I realized my laptop and planner were still at home. It wasn’t even 9 a.m., and I was already having a bad day! 

We all have those bad days where everything seems to go wrong. Then we’re sad, angry, frustrated, and exhausted all before lunch.

But you don’t have to stay stuck in those feelings. You can do simple things to lift your spirits and get out of a bad day rut. 

Below, you’ll get 10 easy and effective tricks for how to make a bad day better.

Plus, for a printable cheat sheet with 5 more scientifically-backed quick fixes to melt stress on any bad day, add your email address in the box below, and I’ll send it to you right away.

How To Make a Bad Day Better: 10 Tricks That Work Like Magic

Keep in mind there’s no pressure to do all 10 strategies. Please keep it simple. Just try one and see how it works. Then, add or try other ones as necessary. These mindset shifts will take you from merely surviving life to thriving.

1. Rant About it, With The Intention of Turning it Around.

Studies show that expressing our feelings makes our sadness, anger, and pain less intense. (1)

Trying to brush off the feelings or forget about them won’t help in the long run. It might give us some temporary relief, but those feelings will come back more potent if you ignore them. 

It’s essential first to get things off your chest, whether that’s to a close friend or loved one, or maybe you need to talk it through with yourself. 

Sometimes, a good yell or cry is all you need to release some of that built-up tension or negative energy. That’s perfectly okay.

Once you move through those feelings that a lousy day or incident caused, you can slowly begin to turn them around. Try journaling or reading something inspirational, or maybe you need a short nap to reset. Anything that helps relax you and gets you into a better frame of mind

Ignoring our feelings, lingering on negative thoughts, or complaining about them at length are surefire ways to feel worse.

2. Be Kind to Yourself. 💕

Self-compassion is the secret I’ve discovered to experiencing more joy and having less stress in life. Being kinder to myself has helped me overcome the rat race and hustle culture mindset that many of us are stuck in. I went from merely surviving life to thriving, and I want to help guide you along your journey. You can read more about that here.

According to the leading expert on self-compassion, Dr. K. Neff, people with self-compassion are less critical of themselves, less likely to be anxious or depressed, and therefore experience more life satisfaction. (2)

Showing yourself kindness will not only help turn a bad day around, but it’s a fundamental mindset shift that we need to embrace. 

We all make mistakes and have imperfections, but do your best not to dwell on those things. 

Instead of negative self-talk that will only make you feel worse, train your brain to speak words of affirmation and blessing over yourself. 

Some examples:

• Instead of “I screwed up,” say, “That wasn’t my best work, but I’ll keep improving.” 
• Instead of “I’ll never get this done,” say, “I’ve made progress and will keep at it.”
• Instead of “I look awful today,” say, “I am beautiful inside and out.”

Our words have power; do your best to start crushing that inner critic and replace her with an inner best friend instead. That inner critic may have good intentions to protect you, but ultimately, it has been self-defeating. 

You are human, and whatever happens, doesn’t define you or make you a failure. 

Always remember: People often don’t even notice those things we are harshly punishing ourselves over.

3. Treat Yo’self.

Some days are more challenging than others, and some are just miserable, so treat yourself to something that will lift your spirits. 

Not only is self-care essential on bad days, but self-care is also a component of prevention for distress and burnout and shouldn’t be considered something nice you do if you “have time”.(3)    

Some fun and easy ideas:

• Book a last-minute pedicure or massage.
• Head to your favourite cafe
• Buy a great book
• Snuggle with your pet(s)
• Do something creative, like meditative colouring or a quick DIY project
• Sip on warm tea or your favourite latte
• Have your partner give you a foot massage

Whatever it might be-you deserve it. For some inspiration for simple and free pleasures that will brighten your day, read this list of little things that bring joy.

When we notice the small stuff or sweet moments each day brings, we’ll experience more fun and it will lessen the blow of our bad days.

For me, my daughters’ hugs and smiles after a hard day always melt my stress away because they help me refocus on what matters. Or how about a hilarious text or meme that has you belly laughing, the gorgeous sunshine on your face, the yummy poke bowl you just ate, or the kind words your boss or partner gave you after a job well done?

4. Examine It and Be Realistic. 🤔

Think about what’s causing the bad day and write it down, or try a brain dump. According to researcher Dr. Pennebaker, who conducted a now-classic experiment, writing provides a healthy outlet to work through our ups and downs. (4)

Most often, our thoughts are making matters worse. So, writing things out on paper is an easy and therapeutic way to de-stress. Don’t worry you’re not writing a novel or 3-page essay, it’s simply your thoughts and can be as short or as long as you find helpful.

Here are some questions you can answer:

• Can you figure out a possible solution? 
• Was there a lesson you can take away from it?
• Is there any silver lining you can think of?
  

If it’s a sudden change, such as getting a new boss, think about the worst-case scenario (boss from hell) and what the best-case scenario might be (angelic supportive boss). Often, it will be somewhere in the middle (a boss like any other; they have their good and bad qualities but are workable) and not the epic catastrophe you might be imagining.

As an anxious mom, this is a good reminder for me, too, as catastrophizing situations is something I’ve struggled with, but I’ve come a long way, and I know you can, too. 

Examining something a bit closer helps you see the situation more objectively instead of how your mind might be distorting it.

5. How to Make a Bad Day Better: Listen to Feel-Good Music. 🎶

Listening to your favourite music is an easy way to make you feel better, and music that gets you dancing is a great option. 

Did you know music therapy is used in some hospitals as a pleasant diversion during chemotherapy or other traumatic visits? (5)

Being physically active is the best way to lift your mood and destress, so combining a great song and a solo dance party is a win-win all around. 💃🏾

Some fun music genres to try:

• 70’s disco
• Retro 80’s 
• Electronic Dance Music
• Movie soundtracks

6. Release Endorphins.

“Walking is such a strong mood enhancer that according to this study, higher levels of walking significantly decrease symptoms of stress, such as anxiety, sadness, fatigue, and lack of motivation.” (6)

Work offices can be dry, and fluorescent lighting can cause headaches, so do your best to get out on your break or lunch. 

If you are home, go for a nice walk; a quick walk to pick up the mail will do in the winter. Sunshine and fresh air are calming and help release endorphins, our feel-good chemicals. So it’s a helpful way to unwind from stressors and one of the best strategies for how to make a bad day better.

7. How to Make a Bad Day Better: Take a Warm Bath.🛀

The feeling of warm water is not only relaxing, but it has many benefits from improving your mental health, reducing stress hormones, and soothing your muscles and joints. (7)

If you don’t have the time to soak in a bathtub, a warm shower will also help you feel calmer and soothe your muscles.

8. Set an Alarm(s) on Your Phone.

It’s easy to get caught up in the rat race of life that we forget to drink water or take breaks to eat. (And unfortunately, scarfing down chocolate or donut holes doesn’t count–I wish it would, though🍫🍩) 

Worse, we sometimes feel guilty about taking a lunch break or stepping away from something to eat or drink. Yikes. Talk about the harsh inner critics we’ve come to accept over time when satisfying our basic needs is a problem. 

Dehydration takes a toll on our physical and mental health from headaches, lowering our energy, and negatively impacting our brain functioning. (8) Same goes for hunger and being able to concentrate on tasks or goals. 

Tip: Make sure you always have a large bottle of water with you, healthy grab-n-go snacks, and take time to eat regular meals. If you struggle in this area, set an alarm(s) on your phone for water breaks and meal times.

9. How to Make a Bad Day Better: Try a One-Minute Fix.

Mindfulness is something anyone can practice, and it only takes minutes. It increases your attention, helps relieve stress and anxiety, and gives you a greater sense of calm. 

A study found that mindfulness, which is learning to live in the present moment without distractions, has many health benefits, including improving our mood and overall health. (9)

It’s a technique that helps you focus on the present moment you’re in. It’s about paying careful attention to your current surroundings, feelings, and thoughts. Here are a few 1-minute mindfulness exercises to try. (10)

10. Check Your Heartbeat. 💓

This is a quick mindfulness exercise. Being still and noticing our heartbeats or pulse reminds us that we are still standing and have made it through a bad day. That’s something pretty cool to celebrate and an excellent way to put things into perspective.

Related Article: 14 Quick Stress-Relievers for Women

Uplifting Bad Day Quotes

We all have bad days, but one thing is true; no cloud is so dark that the sun can’t shine through. –Miranda Kerr

A good day is a good day, a bad day is a good story. At the end of the day it’s all good. –Glennon Melton

On particularly rough days when I’m sure I can’t possibly endure, I like to remind myself that my track record for getting through bad days so far is 100%, and that’s pretty good. –Unknown

Take a deep breath. It’s just a bad day, not a bad life. –Unknown

Tough times never last, but tough people do. –Robert H. Schuller

Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations. –Anonymous

You need to have bad days once in a while, otherwise, you’ll never know what a good day feels like. -Anonymous

How to Make a Bad Day Better: The Most Powerful Fix

Ultimately, the most powerful fix for a bad day is to be prepared with simple strategies to turn the day around. Then, you won’t have to waste time stuck in a negative mindset, which only makes a bad day worse. Save this post as a reminder for days like that.💞

Want More?

Before you go, get my FREE printable cheat sheet:
Bad Day Reset Button: 5-Minute Proven Fixes That Melt Stress.

RESOURCES:
1.https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070622090727.htm
2.https://positivepsychology.com/self-compassion-research/
3.https://psychcentral.com/blog/what-self-care-is-and-what-it-isnt#what-it-isnt
4. https://www.psycom.net/mental-health-wellbeing/the-healing-power-of-writing
5. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/how-music-can-help-you-heal
6. https://www.research.colostate.edu/healthyagingcenter/2021/03/23/the-benefits-of-walking/
7. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/reasons-to-take-a-bath/
8.https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-water#1.-Helps-maximize-physical-performance
9. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070622090727.htm
10. https://psychcentral.com/health/minute-mindfulness-exercises

Header photo by Marvin Kuhn 
Sign photo by Alexas_Fotos 
Woman with headphones by Наталья Хоменко 
Woman meditating by Andrea Piacquadio