It can be hard to recover from a bad day at work when you are a busy mom. Stress, guilt, anger and sadness can follow you home from work and consume your evening. If your workday sucked there are a few things you can do to turn your day around.

1. Prepare Tomorrow To Be A Better Day
2. Leave Work At Work
3. Let It Out
4. Call a Girlfriend
5. Have A Dance Party (exercise)
6. Order Take Out
7. Take A Bubble Bath
8. Remind Yourself That You Are Awesome
9. Have A Glass (or two) of Wine
10. Focus On Positivity

Everyone has bad days. The only thing you can do about them is to move on and learn from your experience. If you need a little guidance on what to do to move forward after a bad day at work, here is a step by step guide on turning your bad day around and ending it positively.

1. Prepare Tomorrow To Be A Better Day

Look, we all have bad days. When we feel like our world is crumbling around us, our first instinct may be to crawl into a ball and hide. Facing exactly what made your day suck and finding solutions now will allow you to put it behind you.

What exactly caused your day to be so crappy? The sooner you can pinpoint the problem the faster you can find solutions.

We learn from our mistakes, so if there is something you need to do in order not to have another sucky day, do it right away. Try making a list of possible solutions for avoiding the same problem and how you will go about implementing them.

Find a remedy. Correct the mistake. Schedule time to get the work done. Whatever it takes, do it as soon as possible. 

2. Leave Work At Work

Now that you’ve officially thought of solutions, it’s time to detach your mind from work. Working too much can lead to higher anxiety. Although it is easier said than done, try not to dwell on what happened at work. 

Be deliberate with your thoughts. Silence your working self and amplify your off-the-clock mind. We all know how fast time flies, before you know it this bad day will be long forgotten. Let work stay at work and focus on your family when you are at home. 

Your work will be waiting for you tomorrow.

3. Cry or Shout 

If you are incredibly upset you may need a way to let go of the built up emotions. Sometimes we just need to shout, cry, or squeeze something in order to get some of our emotions out and that’s okay. 

We are raised in an environment that often shames us for crying or screaming. Shouting and crying can help ease stress and release tension. Ignore the voice of your mother scolding you for being too loud and hollar. Release some heavy emotions and let it out so the rest of your day can be positive. 

4. Call a Girlfriend

Sometimes screaming and crying is only so freeing. Venting to a friend and getting feedback from one of your biggest supporters can lift your spirits. Saying what you are going through out loud to someone else will help you process and decompress. 

If you don’t have a close girlfriend try talking to your spouse, your mom, a family member, or find a forum online. You may feel alone in your frustration and talking to others will help you avoid being lonely. Sharing what you are experiencing with others is an opportunity for you to feel heard and for others feeling the same to be connected.

5. Have a Dance Party

Alright, time to improve your mood!

One of my go to’s when I need a mood shift is music. Listening to music and singing my lungs out can turn my mood around. Add dancing to the mix, and this mama can turn a hard frown upside down.

Dancing is a form of exercise and is proven to boost moods. Tell Alexa to play your favorite tunes and have a dance party in the kitchen with the kids. Feel silly, laugh with your kids, and shake your booty! 

Check out this great post about dancing for mental health.

How Dancing Gives Your Brain and Mood a Big Boost

6. Order Take Out

No one wants to cook dinner and clean the aftermath when rebounding from a terrible day at work. Order your favorite take out and relax, your emotions have gone through the ringer, time to treat yourself.

If ordering take out is something you are not able to do, pass the dinner baton to your spouse. Ask for help for the other tasks you need to complete. Taking a break from some of your evening tasks to really focus on getting your mindset back to a good place will be worth it.

7. Take a Bubble Bath

If you are not used to taking a bath, and you use your bath for the sole purpose of showing off, take the time to clean out the tub and use it to its fullest potential, helping you unwind.

Take a nice warm bubble bath to soothe your body and your mind. Get out those bath bombs and soak away all the negativity of your day. And if you don’t have any fancy bath bombs, your kids’ bubble bath will work just fine. Not only will your bath allow your body to relax, a warm bath will allow you to sleep better, preparing your tomorrow to be much better than today.

8. Drink A Glass of Wine (or two)

There is nothing more satisfying than relaxing with a glass of wine, a beer, or even a heap of chocolate cake at the end of a day that was far too long. Whether your thing is booze, weed, or sweets, give yourself something you enjoy to end your evening. 

Moms don’t always get to indulge in their vices. There can be a mounting to do list after tucking your littles into bed but tonight, forget about it and try to enjoy yourself. After a grueling day at work you deserve to partake in a little indulgence.

9. Remind Yourself of Your Awesomeness

Here’s the thing, you are not defined by one bad day. You are defined by all the great accomplishments that have brought you to this point. Don’t forget that you are a queen. You manage to produce at work, raise a family, and take care of a household all simultaneously. 

Affirmations are everything. If you are feeling down about yourself start reminding yourself of how great you are. Repeat your accomplishments and repeat your goals. If you can boost your energy and your spirit you will be in a much better place moving forward.

10. Focus on Positivity

Close out your day with positive thoughts. Wherever our thoughts are targeted, whether it’s negative or positive, is where our lives are directed. So ignoring the negative and really focusing on the positive, will develop positivity in your life.

When climbing a mountain there is always a peak. Hard times can be like climbing a very tall mountain, where you can’t see the peak. You may feel like there is no ending in sight however, keep going because there is a peak and you will not have to climb forever.

Had A Bad Day?

If you had a bad day and practiced any of these 10 strategies, how did they help you? What one shifted your mood the most? What was most helpful?