When I'm having a 'grumpy' day

These last two months since coming home from university have been pretty mixed overall. Despite the fact I was really looking forward to coming home and leaving some things/people behind, I've found being home and being confronted with decisions about my future to be really challenging (there will be a more in-depth post on this soon). As a result I've found myself feeling a bit like I'd rather sleep than have to get up and do anything. I've just started a new job and whilst I'm still getting to grips with everything and making many mistakes along the way I'm also having a day every so often where I feel like it would have have been easier for everyone if I'd just stayed at home and I just want to lay, face down on my bed and not get up for a very long time.

Unfortunately, these days are rarely at a convenient time. At the moment I don't really have any days off, which means that if I want down time I need to condense it down into a couple of hours into the morning or evening. So here's a few things I've found really help when I'm in a bad mood and I need to get out of it and be a normal human being.

Have a cup of tea and watch some TV

It may seem like a cliché but I really do feel better sat in bed with a hot drink in hand and some mindless TV on. This time last week I felt like everything was getting on top of me and all it took to was an hour of Great British Bake Off and a cup of tea to make me feel better.

Have a good meal

My first instinct when I have a bad day is usually to treat myself to something filled with sugar. I know this isn't any good for me though, especially if I want to keep going for the rest of the day without having a blood sugar related crash later on. A good round meal not only gives me more energy, it also means I won't crave bad stuff for the rest of the day.

Read a book

Nothing helps me forget what was bothering me faster than reading about something else. It gives my mind a well-needed rest from thinking about me and lets me block everything out for a while. At the moment I'm ready Mark Steel's Vive la Revolution which has the added bonus of reminding me why I love history and helping me feel a little more confident in my decision to study it.

Have a bath

I don't always have time to do this on a morning, but when I do I find that it really prepares me for the day, like getting ready from scratch. Having a bath also makes me feel more awake and cures any aches and pains I might have when I wake up and I've slept weirdly. Sleeping so deeply is great but I can mean that I've spent 8 hours in a very uncomfortable position, which my neck and shoulders don't appreciate come the morning.

Put away the phone

The number of articles on the internet telling us to put away our phones and look around us/talk to people, is insane. Quite honestly I think I'm pretty good with my phone, I recognise it has its uses but I also really like real-life people. Putting my phone out of sight isn't about being able to pay attention to anything else, it's about not being disturbed when I'm by myself and I just want some space. It's about just focusing on relaxing myself and not dealing with anyone else for a hour or so.

I hope you enjoyed this list and found it useful, we all have bad days and I've found the best way to deal with them is to embrace them to give some time to yourself rather than stress yourself out trying to be perpetually positive.

xx