3 Things you can do when you are having a “blah” day

Have You Ever Had One of “Those Days”?

You know what I’m talking about.  You get up, go through your normal morning routine, head to the office, and then…

Blah.

You just don’t feel like working.

It happens to everyone.  It happens to me.

It might hit first thing in the morning, or perhaps when you get back from lunch.  But whether you like it or not, it will happen.

So what do you do in those situations?  Where do you find the motivation to get to work?  How do you get out of your “blah” mood and become productive again?

Before I get to some specific strategies that I use to keep myself productive, I want to mention a great quote, and I’m not sure who originally said this, which comes to my mind when I’m having a day like this.

“True professionals do the things that ordinary people won’t do.”

Most often, this quote comes to me at 5:00 am in the morning when my alarm goes off and I really don’t want to get out of bed.   It reminds me of what I’m working for and what I want.

But this quote also comes to me when I’m at the office staring at a computer screen with no motivation to do anything.

Blah.

Take a sip of that coffee.  Breath.  Remind yourself of your “why”, your purpose, the reason you’re there in the first place.

Here’s my why – you are probably feeling very much the same as I do from time to time…

What I want is to live a life of freedom.  Freedom to live life on my terms, when and how I want.

Freedom to spend more time with my family and children.

Freedom to take a vacation whenever and wherever I want.

Freedom to not have to worry about where my next client or paycheck is coming from.

So take a minute… breath, and remember what it is that is your purpose, your why…

Ok – do we have that straight?

Now, here are a couple specific things you can do to snap out of that mood and get back to being productive.

1.  Go for a walk.  That’s right, get up and walk away from your desk.  Take a quick walk around your office or outside for 5-10 minutes.  Make it a brisk walk.  Get the blood flowing.  Doing this will help to bring more oxygen to your cells and give you more energy.  It will also release “endorphins” into your body which will help you feel better.  Get a glass of water while you are up.  When you get back to your desk, chances are you will be refreshed and ready to roll.

2.  Put on some good, feel-good or “focusing” music.  There’s nothing like a little upbeat music to get you going.  You can make a playlist on your phone and name it your  “feel good” list.  Everyone has some songs that will get them out of that mood and productive again.  A personal favorite of mine is either “Kickstart your Heart” by Motley Crue, or “Sweet Child of Mine” by Guns ‘N Roses.  If you would prefer instrumental music, focusatwill.com is a tremendous free resource that plays music that affects your neurotransmitters and is scientifically proven to make you more productive.

3.  Write.  Journalling is a great way to alleviate stress.  Write about what is bothering you, as well as 4-5 things you are grateful for.  This will help bring you into a positive state of mind and back into work mode.

Need anymore incentive?  Post a picture of your family/boyfriend/girlfriend/favorite pet on your computer or make it your background on your desktop.  Keep it there as a constant reminder of why you are working so hard in the first place.

And remember – professionals do what average folks refuse or are unwilling to do.

You are a professional.  You have purpose.  You can do this.