We all experience down days and moments where we dread doing anything. As students, sometimes we don’t have much time to ‘waste’. Skipping a day of productivity for some of us, sets us way back on our timeline. These setbacks can include missing deadlines, forgetting to attend an important meeting or event, or simply just leave us feeling behind. Due to this struggle, I have learned to adopt seven things I can do during my down moments that uplift me and allow me to finish out the day on a better note.
- Turn on a uplifting playlist
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Music is one of my escapes. Creating a playlist of your favorite songs or genre that gives you the most joy, is a good way to have a quick boost in a low moment. For me, my playlist consists of upbeat songs that I like in the Pop and R&B genres. When I am down, I pop my headphones in and get lost in the music for 20 minutes. Usually by the end of my jam session, I feel much better and I am able to hop back into whatever remains on my To-Do list for the day.
- watch an uplifting or funny video
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While TikTok can be really addicting, it can be very enjoyable especially when watching videos from your favorite content creators. I usually allow myself 10 to 15 minutes to get lost in the content before I move on with my day. At the same time, I also truly enjoy watching a YouTube video. Watching a video from my favorite influencers always brightens my day when I am feeling a little down. Finding influencers that make you feel good about yourself or make you laugh when you’re down is always great on the low days.
- Do a short workout
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I find that moving my body for just 15 minutes a day is most helpful when I am in need of a mood boost. One innate benefit from exercising is improving mood and mental health. I typically like to do a dance workout (I love music and I love to dance), which makes me feel really good and gives me additional energy for the remainder of the day.
- be still and breathe
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I love meditating on tough days. Finding moments to allow myself to just breath and tune into my body for just 5 minutes at a time is extremely helpful for me when I need a mood boost. When I have additional time, I love to use the Insight Timer app and tune into a meditation from one of my favorite wellness coaches.
- read a good book or article
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I am honestly a romance book fanatic, and I can spend hours getting lost in the cutesy and cheesy content. On days that I am down, reading a cute and fun book for 10 or 20 minutes gives me a moment to reset before tackling the rest of the day. Plus, it brings me joy to see fictional characters finding love.
- TAke a nap
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While I don’t do this often, during quarantine, I took naps quite often–between classes, after class, before meetings, and after meetings. Taking a 30-minute nap may seem short in essence, but I have found these naps to be very beneficial to me and my mood. If you are in a position where you can get comfortable and not have to be alert, I suggest setting a timer for a short nap in between your responsibilities.
- chat with a loved one
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This one is a given. Having a close friend or family member that you can lean on during your low moments or down times is important to boost your mood. Something as small as a 5 minute chat can be very beneficial to your mood. Find your tribe and the people you can lean on when these moments occur.
I hope that you can resonate with at least one of these activities and find it helpful the next time you feel down or need a little mood boost.