I’m sure I am not the only one who has those kinds of days where nothing seems to go right, where nothing is done with enthusiasm, and all you feel like doing is get into bed and sleep it off to start afresh the next day.
During the years I have realised that doing certain things when I’m having one of these moments tends to help, especially at times where you cannot simply go the bed and wish for it to go away, but rather you have to plough on and meet deadlines.
There’s one important thing to keep in mind in all of this. Realise that YOU are the primary person who can help yourself when feeling like this. It’s amazing what we can do for ourselves to perk us up in such moments. Tell yourself that you can do it despite the apathy, sleepiness, boredom or whatever else is keeping you from continuing what you’re doing or have to do. This is the most important thing to start with. Then of course, there are other ‘helpers’ to help you find that amount of motivation which will get you through 🙂
Reading for me works wonders. If I am feeling unfocused and cannot get my head into what I am doing, I take a break and spend some time reading a book. Now, this can be anything. I tend to stick to novels but you might prefer other reading material. Essentially what you will be doing is taking a break. So, if you’re not into reading, find something that you find helps when facing such situations, whether this is exercising, walking your dog, or whatever else tickles your fancy.
Music is another essential especially when I want to block out any disturbance that is causing the lack of focus. Spotify is a good starting place (although be careful to not find yourself spending precious minutes going through every playlist to find the perfect one *I know, I know, we’ve all been there*). I suggest instrumental or classical music if you are working on something that needs concentration or focus. Or else, if what you need to be doing does not require particular concentration, say you have to clean around the house or cook (which although an enjoyable pastime for some, can still be a bit of a chore when you don’t feel like it), blast out your favourite music to boost your energy levels up. (Scroll down for some suggestions 😊)
And, as if you needed another excuse to eat chocolate, it is proven that chocolate stimulates the production of endorphins, serotonin and phenylethylamine amongst others, all of which help elevate moods and act as anti-depressants therefore leading to an overall sense of well-being and increase focus and alertness. Furthermore, studies have shown that chocolate has a positive effect on memory. Read more here, you know, just in case you’re having some doubts about it all 😉.
What I would personally avoid is going through social media. I know, I know… it’s easy and a readily available form of entertainment. But trust me, it can do more to put you out of focus than the contrary. You know, those “I’ll watch one video on YouTube to have short break” moments which usually result in video marathons, or the constant refreshing of your Facebook timeline just in case something new comes up that you haven’t seen before. It’s a vicious cycle which is very hard to get out of before many (precious) hours have elapsed. So do yourself a favour and try to control the times you check your social media.
These are just some ideas… let’s say inspiration to help you figure out what works for you 😊.
Till next time! x
For when you are in a mellow kind of mood and need to seriously concentrate on the task at hand….
For when you want to dance around and sing out loud….
The Thoughtful Muse 