We’ve all been there. Some days you just wake up and there’s nothing more you want to do than crawl back into bed and wait for tomorrow to come. And sometimes, it’s for no reason in particular.
Then you’re just left thinking “Hey brain, what the hell?! Ok let’s boot up for the day”.
You try everything that the experts suggest — exercise, meditation, and even taking a nap. But your brain just won’t cooperate. Those days are usually a throwaway — some combination of stumbling through the motions of work then calling it a night at 9 PM. But it doesn’t have to be! Instead of trying to force your brain to be in the state you want, make the most with what you’ve got.
Here’s what to do when your brain just isn’t cooperating:
If you’re like me, there’s always some incredibly brainless, time-consuming task that just sits on my to-do list for weeks. I never get around to it on good days because it just seems like a horrible use of my time. But it’s long and tedious so it doesn’t get done in those chunks of time I set aside for administrative work. This is the perfect day to do them. Your brain’s not working anyway! It’ll feel great to have that task crossed off your list for good.
Errands are usually that pain in the butt that eats up an entire day. It’s perfect for these days though! Sometimes you brain just isn’t working… but your body is full of energy. Take the chance to run all those errands you’ve been holding off on. Batch it all together and spend the day out and about. You never know, maybe spending the day out in the world is exactly what you need to reboot your brain.
On days that I just feel bleh, I’ll often make plans with friends in the evening. Why the evening? Well it sometimes serves as an extra boost of motivation to get me working for a few hours. Having something to look forward to and a definite deadline for the day usually gets me working. Even if it doesn’t, by scheduling plans for the evening, I’ll still end the day with a win by seeing my favourite people!
If you’re working in some creative field, or even if you’re not, you can spend the day browsing through your favourite social media sites for inspiration. I’ll often take this time to go through Pinterest for new ideas on blog posts or design inspiration. Or look through Feedly for some content inspiration. Not only is it a great excuse to spend the day on my favourite sites but I often find some great ideas to jot down for the future.
When you’re busy, it’s easy to lose touch with people. I’ll often meet people at networking events or conferences, then forget to reach out to them again for months. Use these days to reach out to those people! If it’s a close friend, make dinner plans or plan a fun activity you enjoy doing together. If they’re an acquaintance or just someone you spoke to once, ask them out for a coffee chat. You’ll feel great from strengthening your relationships and having a couple events to look forward to for the future.
My brain is often just buzzing by itself in the background so much that it tires itself out. Listening to some slower music (with no lyrics!) helps distract a part of my brain that’s just enough to soothe me. Sometimes I’ve found that a couple minutes is already enough to get me back to work. Or some days, I just need forget about getting back to work and enjoy the music.
Most of us probably have some hobby we’ve put aside for a while when things got busy. It’s difficult to carve out time most days but since work is not an option today, use that time to rediscover what you loved. Maybe you loved playing the guitar, cooking or drawing. What better way to get over the blahs than to spend time doing something you love?
Netflix is a wonderful creation that has ruined many lives. I’ve got a list of about 50 things I want to watch — but never end up doing on regular days. Usually, it ends with me wanting to watch a show so bad that I just binge watch it for 2 days straight — on days when I could have done work. Now’s your chance to get it all out of your system!
Let’s face it — today’s a complete write-off. Instead of trying to drag yourself back to work (you know you’re not going to do it), plan for the week. I’ve found planning extremely soothing. Plus, knowing that you’ll make up for today means you can completely relax guilt-free.
It’s fine! Everyone has those days when your brain just won’t cooperate. It may be a sign that you need to take a break — you can’t be superman all the time. So make the most of this day by completely relaxing and refreshing… which means no guilt! Promise? Think about it this way — guilt will only stress you out… and make tomorrow crappy too. If you’re really feeling guilty, ease your mind by planning out the rest of your week (step 9).
So enjoy this impromptu mini-vacation you’ve got for today!
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