It doesn’t matter how much you love your job, how much it helps you, or how excellent the company and people are. At some point in a career, anyone can have bad days at work. And if a terrible one, it can affect your work and mental wellbeing. Bad days at work can slow your work down and affect your morale.
But just because you have one bad day at work doesn’t mean it will be the same forever. Sometimes, you need to make the best out of the gloomiest day and turn it into something. People always say that if life gives you a lemon, make lemonade.
With that in mind, it’s essential to be aware of some easy steps to prevent a bad day from becoming worse that affects both your personal and work life. This article will give you a few techniques and tips on preventing and surviving a bad workday.
Table of Contents
What are the usual reasons of having a bad day?
Bad days at work could be caused by personal problems or issues with someone at work. Whatever the cause is, it is essential to identify the main point as to why you are having a bad day at work. This is to help you solve the problem and possibly prevent it from happening in the future.
Likewise, below are some of the most popular reasons for bad days at work:
Lack of support from your boss
Like any other work element, your boss can cause bad days at work. Your supervisor, manager, or boss is the person that you count on at work. They influence your work, experiences, and overall morale. And if they don’t show support or appreciate the work you do, sometimes, it would feel like you are alone.
Negative Coworker
Every workplace has negative coworkers. Some people carry bad energy or negativity that can affect others or their work. Most negative coworker will manifest their toxic behavior through action or outcomes. Frequently, they will berate coworkers or even instigate fights among people.
And most of the time, when dealing with this toxic coworker, you will feel drained and tired. It negates energy and sometimes discourages collaboration among coworkers.
Performance biases
Everyone wants to be commended for their hard work and contribution. A little appreciation goes a long way. It helps workers stay motivated and sometimes helps stress to dispel when you feel valued and respected.
However, some employees experience bias in performance reviews or their boss not acknowledging their work. Sometimes, coworkers even steal credit for their efforts which causes terrible days at work.
Uncertainty about your career
Every employee wants to have a stable career path. And uncertainty about their job or career can root bad days at work. Who wants to work for something they are not sure about, right? You might be busy or working hard, but everyone wants to be sure that they are doing things right, and it will pay off in the future. Lack of solid foundation and uncertainty can stress workers, creating issues to their morale and work production.
High Workload
Business doesn’t always mean great things. It’s undeniable that progress fuels motivation. Accomplishment helps us stay inspired. But facing endless work and not having the time to rest can stress you out. It can eventually lead to a series of bad days at work, or worse, resignation.
According to Glassdoor, insufficient time off or work life is one of the top causes people leave their job.
How To Prevent Bad Days at Work?
Having a horrible day at work can happen anytime, anywhere, and to anyone. However, if it is frequently happening to you, you need to think of ways to prevent it or be prepared for it.
Make a to-do list
Suppose a hefty workload or pressure at work mainly causes your terrible workdays. In that case, you should try organizing your tasks into a manageable group and prioritizing their importance. Start a bullet journal and write down things that you need to finish before the end of the day. Set goals and organize your time not to feel intimidated and overwhelmed by the workload.
Likewise, you can also identify what causes a bad day with a to-do list. You can see which tasks stress you the most or which one takes too much of your time. You can devise a strategy to keep this task from stressing you out.
Give time for your passion and hobbies
Doing your favorite hobby or passion is one of the essential self-care parts that employees forget. Keep in mind that there is life more than work. As such, try to remind yourself of activities that help you feel at peace, like painting, listening to music, or reading books.
According to a study led by the Australian Psychological Society, 4 out of 5 participants found activities like spending time on a hobby are moderately or highly effective in managing stress.
Get a good night’s sleep
Sleep deprivation makes people irritable and movie, which can cause a bad day at work. So, if you are waking up feeling tired, you are probably not getting enough sleep. Your body needs to rest and recharge. Try to stick to a sleep calendar and get more restful sleep at night.
Get physical
Exercise can boost your mood, concentration and even change your outlook in life. Studies show that working out changes chemicals in your brains, such as stress hormones, endorphins, and serotonin. Getting regular exercise can even help you sleep better, which, as mentioned earlier, is an excellent way of managing your mood.
What to do when you have a bad day at work?
As mentioned earlier, you can’t always prevent having a bad day at work. Likewise, you need to be creative in handling this stress and keep your mind off your lousy workday. Below are some innovative methods for doing when you have a bad day at work.
Go for a walk
When you have bad days at work and feel stressed or overwhelmed, you might be tempted to go to bed and sleep it away. However, the best thing to do is for you to spend time outside and go for a hike or walk.
According to a study conducted by North Dakota State University (NDSU), walking promotes the release of endorphins that improve mood and stimulate relaxation. So, if you are struggling to get out of a bad mood, try to spend a few minutes walking. Stroll at a comfortable pace and enjoy the nature outside.
Take a screen break
With the pandemic still ravaging our lives, most jobs these days require a lot of time staring at your computer screen. And after having a tough day at work, the last thing you need is more screen time.
Conferring to a study steered by Michigan State Researchers in 2019, adults who use social media are more likely to experience psychosocial distress, a hallmark of major depression and anxiety.
Thus, it is good to put down your computer or phone if you have a bad day. Try to catch some sleep, enjoy a hobby, or go for a walk.
Write it out to clear your mind
One way to clear out your mind is by writing it down. Dumping out everything you feel on a piece of paper is a good thing of venting it out without needing to interfere with someone or making a call.
Moreover, writing is an excellent way of documenting what stresses you the most. You can read it over anytime, and it helps you find solutions to avoid these issues again.
Seek out help
If you need to, you can seek help from a friend or a therapist. You can call a friend after work and vent out what you feel. Just make sure that this friend is someone you trust or someone not related to your work.
It is also an exceptional way to vent out your frustration while getting help on managing this issue and preventing it from happening in the future.
Hit the reset button
After having a bad day at work, it feels like the whole day or even week is affected. And the longer you let this affect your mood, the longer it can cause an unfortunate situation that can eventually affect your life overall.
Sometimes, it’s good to interrupt the pattern, stop the day, and restart. Shake the pessimistic mood and attitude and look forward to a positive outcome. Try to be more solution-oriented and be change your outlook in life.
Conclusion
Bad days are never good. It can cause many issues like barriers to communication between coworkers or even demoralized employees. It may seem that everything is falling, and you are stuck in a rut. However, do not let bad days put you down.
Don’t let a few hours of negativity affect the hard work you put into your career and life. And make sure that you join a company with excellent company culture.
If you are looking to join one, Flexisource IT can help you! We are hiring for various IT positions. Work with clients from Australia and New Zealand and build your portfolio! Join us now!
Pamela is a full-time content writer and a lifelong Philomath. Her previous experience as a research analyst made her passionate about traveling the world and understanding how it works. During her day off, you can often find her indoors, writing stories or oil painting.
