10 Ways to Unwind After a Bad Day

Wouldn’t it be amazing if keeping your vibes high and positive was always easy?

The truth is, sometimes even something really small can ruin your day. Like someone else making a stupid comment, something not going the way you hoped.

A lot of those things might seem insignificant… but they’re just enough to throw off your positive vibes.

So… how do you deal with it? How do you de-stress, unwind after a bad day, and turn a bad day into a good one?

Well, first thing’s first… you have to protect your energy. If that doesn’t work, then you need to allow yourself to unwind, relax, and de-stress.

HOW TO UNWIND AFTER A BAD DAY

TURN OFF YOUR PHONE

We all have become so dependent on technology. When you aren’t having the best day, constantly checking your phone, especially when it comes to social media- can frustrate you even further (because let’s face it, we all sometimes play the “comparison” game and when you’re sitting in your kitchen, crying because you had a crappy day, you don’t need to see someone else having a blast in Belize, sipping on mimosas). Disconnecting once a while can do wonders.

Had a bad day? Make yourself unavailable to the world. Even if it’s just for an hour or two.

TAKE A LONG BATH

If you have time, take a long, hot bath. Magnesium and dead sea salt baths work great as a remedy for stress. Magnesium helps relax your muscles- and when you’re stressed out your muscles can be extremely tense and stiff. Add a few drops of your favorite bath oil to your bath, burn your favorite candle, read a magazine, and just relax. Just don’t fall asleep in your bathtub!

If you’re super busy and have a stressful day ahead, take a fancy bath in the morning. Get up 30 minutes early, make some good tea or coffee and indulge in a nice bath. Who says you can only enjoy a nice bath during nighttime, AFTER a long day?

I also like to bring a big bowl of fresh fruit with me when taking a bath- it always feels great to snack on something healthy (even when in reality I might crave ice cream). If you’re anything like me, chances are you’re way too busy to treat yourself to a long bath on regular basis, that’s why when you do it once in a while, it feels a bit special, just like a little self-care treat.

BREAK A SWEAT

When you get home after a tough day, working out is probably the last thing you feel like doing- but trust me, it does wonders, when it comes to relieving stress. A nice run in a park, breathing that fresh air is great, too. Physical activity produces endorphins- chemicals in your brain that act as natural painkillers and also improve your sleep and reduce stress levels.

WALK IT OUT

Get out of your house, feel the fresh air. Take deep breaths, maybe listen to some music and just have a long walk. Let yourself feel all the emotions going through your head, and realize, that most likely, this day, this crappy, shitty day you just had, will not matter to you a year, or even a month from now.

EXPRESS YOUR FRUSTRATION

I always try to be as positive as possible and control my thoughts and feelings as much as I can. Sometimes though, it doesn’t matter how hard you try to stay positive- your day just turns to shit and you find yourself feeling angry, sad… and frustrated. While I don’t like to complain, sometimes you just have to express your feelings. You can either talk to someone close, tell them how angry or upset you are and then let it go. You can also try writing your feelings down on a piece of paper.

If you don’t feel comfortable talking to anyone about your feelings, express them on a piece of paper, read what you wrote once, and then rip it up and throw it away, or just burn that shit.

Let go of that anger and frustration. Doing this can help you realize just how silly some things we get upset over are.

GET LOST IN A BOOK

I mean, come on, is there anything better than this? Burn your favorite candle, cuddle up with your favorite blanket and read while sipping on your favorite tea.

CLEAN

If your space is messy, you will find it difficult to relax and unwind after a long day. If the weather permits, open up some windows, make sure that your sink is empty, clean up your rooms, bathroom, kitchen. Make your bed.

After you’re done, it will feel amazing to just sit back and relax. Cleaning is also a good distraction for when your mind is racing. If you feel stressed and don’t know what to do with all that excess energy- get cleaning or organizing.

TREAT YOURSELF 

I’m not talking about spending a fortune on a new pair of shoes but treating yourself to something small. For me, it’s either a cup of really good coffee (and since I don’t drink coffee every day, it always feels like a little treat) or some veggie sushi from my favorite place. It doesn’t have to be anything expensive. A donut, a new candle, a cozy pair of sucks or PJs. Whatever small pleasure you usually deny yourself, just go for it.

Know that it’s okay to treat yourself to a little something once in a while- and there is no need to feel guilty about it. How often do you show yourself some love? It’s something that’s crucial on those days when you feel stressed- learn to forgive yourself and others.

TRY BAKING

Ok, so while I love to cook, I am not much of a baker. But I noticed that whenever I have a horrible day, I always feel like making banana bread.

Weird, right?

But you know what?

It works.

I don’t know if it’s the intense banana mushing or the smell of cinnamon, nutmeg and coconut and banana that fills up the entire house as the bread sits in the oven, it just does wonders for my soul. Now, whenever I’m having a bad day, the first thing that comes to my mind is: “do we have ripe bananas at home?“

It’s also a bit of a dead giveaway, because whenever Mark gets home and smells banana bread, I hear: “oh no, what happened, who pissed you off today?” all before even saying “hello” to me. If you want to try this for yourself, check out my recipe for Vegan Banana Bread right here.

MEDITATE

If you haven’t tried meditating yet, you are missing out. There’s an old Zen saying that goes: “you should meditate for 20 minutes a day unless you’re too busy; then you should meditate for an hour“.

Not only does mediating help with stress, but it also makes you feel calm, relaxed, happy. The more you practice it, the easier you will find it to deal with stress. If you’re new to this I highly recommend you download these free guided meditations from Gabby’s blog right here.

These days, many of us wish there was a magic pill for everything.

Something for stress, something for lack of energy, something that will help you lift your mood.

A lot of these tools- tools that can help you feel more at ease, relaxed and happy, you already have at your disposal. Fresh air, meditation, breathing exercises, working out, healthier diet, practicing mindfulness. There aren’t any quick fixes. You have to equip yourself with tools, strategies, and habits that will help you de-stress, slow-down, and rest when you do have those bad days.