Hello everyone! I was musing about what to share today and I was drawn back to this post from my archive. This was after a colder, kind of gloomy, week in quarantine with several days of rain. I needed this post as a little reminder of how to stay happy and positive even while under quarantine and while social distancing. I hope that these 10 tips for having a good day can help you while we are all under quarantine.
How to Have a Good Day Everyday
1) PLAY HAPPY MUSIC
I start my day, every day, listening to a “Perk Me Up” playlist that has all my favorite upbeat songs. I can turn to this playlist throughout the day if it’s a particularly stressful one and I will instantly feel a little bit brighter and happier. You can see and listen to my happy playlist here on Youtube. I’d recommend that everyone has their own personal happy music playlist that can help lift you out of a funk or bad mood.
2) WEAR CLOTHES OR SHOES YOU LOVE
Something about having a banging outfit or wearing my favorite pair of shoes never fails to put me in a better mood. One of my personal struggles right now has been dealing with weight gain so not wearing my favorite clothes has been a recent reality. However, it’s like they say…the shoes always fit!
Granted while we are all staying home these days, there is still a benefit to changing out of your pajamas. Even if that just means putting on leggings and a different sweater. I’ve found that I’m more prone to being productive if I get dressed. Some days that means jeans and a tee, other days leggings and a sweatshirt. Just making the effort is what counts.
3) DO YOUR HAIR AND/OR MAKEUP
Just having my hair done can do wonders for my mood. It can be time-consuming to blow dry or style your hair but sometimes that effort is worth it when it comes to the way you feel about yourself. Plus having just one of these done can often compensate for the other.
For example, I normally do my makeup on the bus on my way into work but on Monday I forgot my powder foundation. Not only that but I was in a training all day and was going to meet a bunch of new people. Naturally, I wanted to make a good first impression so I had done my hair. With just my hair done and a healthy coating of mascara (#MaryPoppinshandbag), I was able to get through the day without feeling like a fool with hag face, which was a pleasant surprise.
4) WRITE A GOAL OR TASK LIST FOR THE DAY
Can we all agree that nothing is more satisfying that crossing something off a list? Starting your day, every day, with a task or goal list is a wonderful way to make a mental plan for your day and then to stay on track throughout the day. This is especially useful to me since my toddler and Instagram are always there to distract me. I like to write my list at the end of the day so I know where to start the following morning. The trick is to not get too attached in case last-minute priorities have to shift or if your list was overly ambitious. Just scrap it at the end of the day and start a new one for the following day!
5) GET SOME SLEEP
If you know you have a big day ahead or if you’ve just had a really crummy one, just put down the phone and get some sleep. It’s incredible how a solid night of rest can reset your attitude and make the world a better place.
6) PLAN YOUR DAY AHEAD OF TIME
I’ve seen many articles recently about decision fatigue and how it impacts our daily life. That’s why mapping or planning out your day is so important. It helps takes the mental work of “what should I do now?” out of our lives.
Personally, I’ve found that if I have a basic structure to my day, it will generally run more smoothly. Even if that roadmap is very general. For example, In the morning I’ll vacuum and do a load of laundry. During Teddy’s nap, I’ll answer at least five emails, do a 30-minute workout, then prep dinner. In the afternoon, we’ll go for a walk.
7) STAY OFF SOCIAL (AT LEAST FOR A WHILE)
Studies have shown that people who are on social media (specifically Facebook but I think it works for all social media) a lot tend to be less happy than people who aren’t on social media as often (via The New Yorker). It makes sense, right? You see everyone else’s “perfect” lives and can’t help but compare your real life to your friend’s online life. So why would you start your day doing something that makes you sad?
One of my best friends recently started giving herself the first two hours of her day to be internetless and she’s told me how much better she feels. Not only does she feel better but the changes are visible too! My mom mentioned to me how “Lu just looks so happy in pictures these days” and it’s true. Her whole being has changed just by starting her day without the internet.
During the Covid-19, I’ve found that massively reducing my consumption of news has been critical to my mental health. That means only glossing over the front page of the NYTimes or Washington Post, staying off Twitter, and limiting the number of news/current event-related podcasts I listen to.
8) COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
Try to devote time in your day for prayer/reflection/meditation or just plain old’ counting your blessings. It’s a practice that takes 10 minutes or less but which helps put everything into perspective. You’re alive and kicking which is the greatest blessing of all.
9) GET OUTSIDE
Fresh air is underrated. It’s easy to fall into the habit of the house to car, car to the office, repeat and never really spend any time outside. Especially now that spring is here, try to take ten and step outside. An afternoon walk always reinvigorates me and gets me past the afternoon slump. Plus Vitamin D is always a great mood booster.
10) DRINK WATER AND EAT GREENS
It’s important to take care of our bodies, especially during times of stress, because it has the power to fight back (trust me I’ve learned the hard way) and drinking water can help cure so many of the side effects of stress and sleep deprivation. It helps with bloating, headaches, and even tiredness. While caffeine may get your heart rate up, water can help in more ways than a Diet Coke. The same goes for eating greens. They help heal your body from the inside out so you can take on all the challenges life places in your path.
This post was originally published in May of 2017. You can see the original post here.
