Everyone has those days where you just don’t want to get out of bed, you have no motivation, you don’t feel like yourself, and you are just in a little bit of a funk. Those days can happen because of homesickness, anxiety, depression, weather, exhaustion, or they can just be random! These kinds of days can happen frequently or rarely but nonetheless, they happen to everyone and are totally normal. I tend to get in these “funks” for a day or for a weekend and have found some ways that have helped me get back to my more positive productive self. Here are the things that help me in these times, and hopefully they can help you too.
Wake Up Earlier
I know that when you’re in a funk you just want to stay in bed all day, going in and out of sleep. But don’t do that! Get up at a decent time, press snooze so you can sleep just a bit more. Do your morning scroll on your phone for 30 minutes or less (we all know that on these funk days we could spend an hour or more doing this). Get out of bed, make your bed, brush your teeth, wash your face, do a face mask, take a shower, get dressed, put on makeup, do your hair. Get yourself ready whether that be just the basics or a full skincare body care routine- just make sure you feel comfortable, yourself, and with a fresh start. Getting up and getting ready earlier can give you a refreshing start and even give you a kickstart to being productive.
Make a To-Do List
A to-do list for the week is something that I find helpful. It’s a way to get back on track while looking only at the near future. I usually take a post-it note and write down all my assignments for the week and then assign days to each assignment so I can manage my time. This way you can visually see what you have ahead of you and prepare for how you can conquer it all. Making a to-do list for the day while you’re in a funk is also satisfying to just check off each thing you did and make yourself feel even the slightest bit productive. We all know these funk days mean you don’t want to a lot or just can’t push yourself to do a lot of things. So make a to-do list of something you enjoy like watching a new youtube video or catch up on an episode of your show, then do something productive like vacuum or cleaning, then do a little something like lay on your bed and go on social media, and finish with something like doing one assignment. Even yourself out and don’t spread yourself out too thin when you don’t need to- take it slow. Try adding some tasks like cleaning up your room to put yourself in a clean environment to get things done. Putting something you enjoy in between little productive things can also make you feel good, like you’re rewarding yourself and you’re not working too hard.
Set a Timer
I find that setting a timer for the “make myself productive tasks” like assignments or cleaning can help a lot. By setting a timer I find myself more productive in trying to finish as much as I can in that amount of time. Try to see if you do need an hour to finish that assignment or if you’ll have time left to spare. For the time left to spare try starting another assignment, checking emails, or your calendar; keep this hour for being productive even if you finish your original task. Setting a timer can help you to understand you will only be working yourself for an hour, which you are capable of doing, and you know after you can take a break. Timers can help you slowly work yourself back to using your time wisely and being more productive with your time.
Engage in Self-Care
When I’m in a funk I spend the majority of time in bed flipping between youtube videos and social media and not the other things that I really enjoy and can dive into for hours like reading books or magazines, making mood boards, exercise, and writing. Forcing myself to go read a magazine during my funk is actually a huge step for me and makes me feel calmer and somewhat more productive, capable, and like myself. I am doing something that interests me and gives me the motivation to dive back into things that I love. During this day of making to-do lists and setting timers, take time to do some self-care of something you love and help you feel calm. By doing this you are indulging in yourself, still relaxing, and probably making you feel more capable, yourself, and in a better headspace.
Take It Easy
Even in this place don’t push yourself or get too hard on yourself. It’s okay to have these days even if you only do one productive thing that day. You can slowly get out of it and get back to a better headspace. These days where you’re in a funk may take just one day of being self-aware of it and trying to get out of it to be better, or it may take a couple of days, or even a week to get yourself back. If it’s longer than a week and you don’t feel yourself getting better there may be an underlying reason you should talk about with somebody. In this case, don’t hesitate to get an appointment with CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) so they can help you even more of getting you back to yourself. No matter what, know you aren’t alone in this and how you’re feeling are totally normal and can sometimes just happen.
Being in a funk sucks. As hard as your funk days are it can be even harder to get out of them. You can feel lost in these times like you just don’t know what to do or where to even start with “fixing” yourself up. Try your best to be aware of yourself when you are in a funk and if there is any reason that could have caused it, then try to be active in the small things that can help bring you out of it, like the steps listed above. Sometimes the smallest things like waking up earlier can help.