27 Small Tactics to Get Out of a Funk
Funks are a part of life, and these are the strategies I have found to help the most!
Everyone experiences a funk here and there, and it can be hard to get out of it when you are isolating yourself and letting your thoughts spiral out of control. We all have those weeks where everything seems to go wrong, and I deeply empathize with anyone going through it. This blog goes through 27 strategies to try or reflect on before officially throwing in the towel.
Now, I am well aware that for deeper mental health issues doing these may be nearly impossible and should never be minimized to ‘just a funk’ (and if you have a close loved one with a diagnosis or disability, please do not send them this - they have probably already heard it a million times!). This blog is meant to address those one-off bad days or weeks that can really impact your mood and how you show up in the world. Emphasizing the title, these are “small” things and can’t cure everything — but are at least steps in the right direction to feeling good again. The hardest part is doing the first few steps, then you’ll most likely be glad you did it! Remember, it’s just a bad day or week and not a bad life!
1. Journal
This one may seem obvious, but even I have off weeks where I am not in the mood to journal. However, once I take the first couple of steps to start writing, I am really glad I took the time. Sometimes I overthink so much that I start to spiral, so writing it all out on paper is very therapeutic. Even if I am having a terrible week, it is important to reflect on the good in life — no matter how small! When looking back on the year, you will be able to see how you persevered through all of the ups and downs. You can read my blog about my new favorite journal here.
2. Song/Playlist
Music definitely has an impact on my mood and productivity, and one of my favorite side hobbies is creating playlists for all occassions and moods. You can listen to my daily manifestation playlist via the Spotify link on my website, but I also encourage you to create your own! I personally love songs that intertwine affirmations, but everyone has their own taste. It is okay to listen to sad songs to grieve and help process what you are feeling, but it is also important to know that one song that will always cheer you up. My absolute favorite song to blast when I am feeling down is ‘Pretty Girl Rock’ by Keri Hilson.
3. Spray Scented Water on Face
One of my favorite rituals is spraying my Chantecaille rose water on my face. Something about the smell of fresh rose petals from the South of France has an instant positive effect on my mood. Maybe you align to a different scent such as citrus, lavender, or eucalyptus — but the scented spray itself can be a good tactic to soothe your senses. I like to spray my face at least once a day! If scented spray is not your thing, you may opt for a diffuser instead with your favorite essential oils.
4. Therapy
This one is a no brainer, but sometimes needs reminding. If you have not considered or taken steps to find a therapist, I recommend that you read my blog. And if you already have a therapist, make sure that you are actually bringing up what is bothering you! The whole purpose of therapy is being able to share uncomfortable things, and by not doing so you will only contribute to deeper shame and guilt. When I am having an off week, I always remind myself of my upcoming therapy session and to not make any rash decisions beforehand. With each session, new techniques may be taught and learned so that you can better manage your thoughts and emotions in the future. The entire wiring of my brain has completely transformed over the past few years, and the amount of “end of the world” moments I experience has dramatically diminished.
5. Sleep
I deeply empathize with people who tend to have a poor sleep schedule, poor sleep hygiene, and/or demanding jobs or home life that interfere with sleep. Even if you are not able to consistently get at least 8 hours of sleep, it is important to take time to rest when you are able to. This may mean a 30 minute nap during the day, or taking a weekend to rest and recharge. Women especially need more sleep, and a poor sleep cycle can greatly impact hormones and mood. I was recently in a funk, and prioritizing sleep for a weekend did wonders for my mood.
This year, I have started using timers for my social media apps and make it a goal to at least be in bed by 10PM. I also ensure that I have one night per weekend to sleep in, rather than having back-to-back social outings where I am out late. These are definitely lofty goals for myself, but I at least have made major improvements from previously going to bed around 2AM. If you have consistent sleep issues, I recommend talking to a doctor to see if there are any supplements or vitamins that may help.
6. Eat Healthy/Nourishing Meals
I try to eat as healthy as possible during the week, but this year I am trying to extend these eating habits into the weekend. I love to indulge in a dinner out or takeout here and there — but overall prioritize protein, vegetables, and whole grains. When I am in a funk, it is easy for me to do many consecutive “girl dinners” consisting of chips, popcorn, and ice cream — but these definitely do not help my mood in the long run. I do love a sweet treat here and there (and a sweet treat is much deserved on a bad day), but it is important to make sure I am getting enough nutrients to sustain myself during work days. This is also especially important if you are on a frequent workout schedule! I would much rather be in a low mood but be able to tell myself that I nourished and took care of my body, rather than both being in a low mood and not giving myself the nutrients I need. If you want some extra comfort — prioritize soup, tea, and hot meals.
7. Workout, Walk, Hike, Dance, or Visit the Beach
Everyone should have their own preferred route of getting their endorphins; if you still have not found one that you enjoy, keep experimenting. I am personally not a runner whatsoever, but found that I really enjoy the stairmaster and weight training. On the other hand, some people love running but wouldn’t touch a stairmaster with a 10 foot pole. Any form of moving counts whether it is low impact or high impact, a class or outside, or even dancing in your living room. When I am in a funk, all I want to do is rot in bed — but whenever I do force myself to sign up for a workout class, I do feel a lot better afterwards.
It may help to have an accountability partner to motivate you to make it to the class, if motivating yourself is too difficult. It is also good to spend some time outside, even during the week. I recently returned to office and am close enough to walk, which is a good forcing mechanism to get outside. Again, I empathize with people who find it difficult to do these things themselves as it has always been a big struggle for myself — but it is important for your wellbeing. I always joke with my therapist when I give her updates on my workout and walking schedule and reluctantly say, “Yes, unfortunately it did indeed give me endorphins and boost my mood.”
8. Deep Clean
I completely agree with the saying that your environment is a reflection of your inner state, and sometimes it can be extremely hard to maintain your environment when you are feeling low. If you feel like you are having one of those weeks, do not make it any harder for yourself! If you need to order in or use disposable plates and utensils (try to get biodegradable or eco-friendly ones) — do it! Once you have a little more motivation, you can start deep cleaning small sections at a time. If your environment is crazy, do not go Marie Kondo and empty out all of your storage and overwhelm yourself even more (though I have an upcoming blog for those ready to tackle it). Make steady progress day by day, and by the end of it your mood should get better simply by existing in a nicer environment.
9. Talk to or Spend Time with a Trusted Friend of Family Member
Sometimes this is a lesson to be learned in itself, but make sure you surround yourself with people who are truly good for you. There can be a lot of secret haters disguised as “friends”, and you want to have a trusted circle that will actually give you sound advice rather than worsening your mood, trying to sabotage you, or not having your best interest in mind. Even if you only have one friend or one family member you can trust with your deeper emotions, that is plenty — and make sure you ask for help when you need it.
Sometimes when we grow older we do not talk to our friends or family as much — but just a phone call to mom, a sibling, or old friend can give us all the reassurance we need. If on the flip side you have a strained relationship with family or friends, practice healthy boundaries and make sure you at least have one person who can provide you emotional safety.
10. Murphy’s Law
If you are not familiar with Murphy’s Law, it is a popular saying that “anything that can go wrong will go wrong”. I bring this up not to deepen anxiety, but to bring awareness to it when it seems to be one of those weeks. If you know you have a busy next morning, prep everything you need the night before. If you have a big plan you need to execute, come up with some backup options in case something goes wrong. These preventative steps cannot protect you from everything, but at least provide some comfort during a stressful week.
11. Pinterest Instead of Social Media
I absolutely love Pinterest, and find it to be much more beneficial for my mental health over other social media platforms. I love creating boards for my short-term and long-term goals and dreams. Scrolling through them during a bad week can provide something to look forward to, and a jolt of motivation to make it to the other side. If you have never dabbled with Pinterest before, I recommend reading my vision board blog.
12. Self-Compassion
Self-compassion may take some time and practice, but it is important to focus on humanity. Many people in the world may also be going through what you are going through, and it is important to remember that you are not alone. A lot of people are so amazing at lifting up others, yet rarely give themselves that same compassion. If you consider yourself a good friend and are having trouble with it, pretend that a close friend of family member has come to you with what you are currently going through. What would you tell them? Now speak those words to yourself.
13. Cancel Plans and Create Space to Move Through Emotions
Sometimes it is hard to get through a rough week when you constantly have commitments, perhaps using precious energy to fake smile and mask what you are feeling. A lot of people keep themselves busy in order to avoid what they are actually feeling. Please do not shame yourself for feeling the way you do! It is okay to take a week to yourself to fully process what you are feeling and take some much needed rest. The important people in your life will understand with no judgement; your mental health comes first! If work or your home life is overwhelming you, it is okay to voice that you need help or delegation of tasks to lighten your workload until you are feeling better. It is also good to identify if you are someone who gets better with isolation, or someone who avoids their issues through isolation and may need the comfort of a friend or family member.
14. Revisit Larger Goals and Connect to the Why
Purpose drives us, and sometimes we get disconnected with why we are doing certain things. It is important to document your goals in life, and revisit them often (and it is okay to change them!). Sometimes if our goal is not tangible, it is hard to know if we are heading in the right direction. As long as you can identify your ‘why’, you can create your ‘how’. Even at work, if I am not working on a product that I interact with — it can be hard to stay motivated. Connecting to customers or the mission can do wonders on revitalizing purpose and passion. So connect with yourself and get clear on what your mission is!
15. Find Your Flow
I am currently reading the book Ikigai, and a big theme of the book is finding your flow. The concept is that it may take an extra push to get through the first few steps, but after that you are able to “find your flow” and work on this task or project for an extended amount of time in a given day (and practiced frequently for a long time period). Blogging is where I find my flow — once I have gotten through the first paragraph, I often write for 6 or 7 hours straight not noticing the time that has passed. And, I have been able to consistently keep up with it for a year so far (I cannot say the same for previous passion projects)! It may take a lot of experimentation, but these “funk” weeks could be a good time to find your flow. This could be learning a new skill, painting, knitting, gardening, or cooking.
16. Do Extra Self Care/Beauty & Grooming Routines
Some people may view a self care routine as purely superficial, but I personally believe that it does wonders for how you feel on the inside. When you are having a bad week, even just spending a little extra time on your hair or skincare can give you that extra boost of confidence. It is important to maintain hygiene (in general), but especially when you have no energy to get out of bed. Tell yourself that once you do these things, you can go back to bed — you will be glad you did them and will wake up refreshed. If you have been in pajamas for the past week, putting on real clothes along with some extra self care can give you a more positive self image.
17. Watch a New Show or Read a New Book
Some people like to watch reruns of their favorite comfort show or movie, but I also like to watch or read new stories. We all have characters that we already relate to, but it can be beneficial to be introduced to new characters. These characters may be feeling or going through what you are also feeling or going through, and provide a new perspective. Do a little pre-work on the synopsis so you are not triggering yourself — keep it light unless you are in the category of getting deep enjoyment from thrillers and true crime. And if you prefer your comfort shows, by all means watch away — there is nothing quite like a classic!
18. Tell People Exactly What You Need
I have to remind myself often that people cannot read minds, and it can be hard for others to support you if they do not know how. If you are starting to feel more agitated or down when someone else is only trying to help, tell them exactly what you need so that they can best accomodate you. It may feel like no one is watching or listening when you are giving off strong signals, but sometimes people need a little help in this area.
19. Go for a Drive and Sing it Out
One of my favorite things to do is go for a drive, blast my music, and sing at the top of my lungs. Maybe it is the old choir girl in me, but I feel like this is extremely therapeutic for everyone! Even if you are at work having a meltdown, you do not necessarily have to go out for a drive but can sit in your car and blast your tunes for a few minutes.
20. Get a Beauty/Grooming Treatment Done: Hair, Nails, Lashes, Massage, or Facial - Men, You Too!
Especially if you are touch deprived, getting a pampering treatment done can be so soothing when you are in a low mood. Even if you are not speaking to anyone, just being in an environment of getting taken care of can help your mood. This should not be exclusive to women — anyone can get a mood uplift with a new haircut, manicure and pedicure, massage, or facial. If you are not in the mood to go outside of your home, you can have an at home spa day!
21. Buy Yourself Flowers or a Plant
I am the biggest proponent of buying flowers for yourself! There is absolutely no reason to wait for someone else to buy you flowers — you are deserving of them. If you have a hard time seeing the beauty or purpose of having flowers, maybe it could be a good experiment to get them just once. Some people who do not see the beauty in them may feel underserving of love, or may have had a past of painful rejection. Flowers signify appreciation, admiration, love, and have a proven impact on feeling happier — even for men! If you want something longer lasting, you could get an orchid, indoor tree, or succulent.
22. Do a Detox
Sometimes you just need to set the reset button, and doing a detox can be the perfect measure to take. This does not have to be solely diet based — it could also be a social media detox, alcohol detox, candy detox, or skin detox. Whatever area of your life you think could benefit from a detox — do it (but don’t be extreme about it)! No one has to wait a full year until January 1st to hit the reset button — this can become a regular part of your routine! Sometimes it is even helpful to treat your body like it is sick by nourishing yourself with soups and fruit and vegetable juices, plenty of rest, and mindful activities.
23. Don’t Drink to Feel Better, Drink to Feel Even Better
“Don’t drink to feel better, drink to feel even better” is my favorite quote from the movie ‘How Do You Know?’ with Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, and Paul Rudd. I mention this in my self care blog, but it is also very applicable to when you are in a funk. It is important not to drink when you are feeling down and trying to make yourself feel better — odds are you will feel much worse. Even though I am a mixology enthusiast and sommelier, I stray away from drinking as a coping mechanism. I only create drinks to spark creativity and drink when I am enjoying a solo meal or in a fun social setting.
24. Wash Your Bedding and Wear Your Favorite Pajamas
There is just something about clean sheets that can instantly make you feel better. If you do not already have a washing schedule, try to wash your bedding once a week. This is a great reset to your week and will contribute to sleeping well and waking up fresh. If you have no energy to do laundry — it is okay to ask for help. Ask an accountability partner to come over, or send it out to a service for this one time.
Your bed should also be your little oasis, so if there is one place in your home to invest in — the bedroom would be my pick. It pains me when I see men who only have a singular deflated pillow, no duvet cover for their duvet insert, or a blanket subbing as a comfortor. This is not me shaming anyone, but no one should be reliant on “the girlfriend effect” — you should make your space cozy for yourself because you deserve it!
I am also a big proponent of at least having one high quality pajama set (it does not have to be super expensive). You can read my Sleepwear Edit blog for my personal picks! Making yourself a steamy cup of tea, changing into your nice pajamas, and sliding into your clean sheets will be sure to at least get you a good night’s sleep.
25. Track and Reflect on Wins
Sometimes we are so in the weeds of what we are trying to accomplish, that we forget to take a step back and see how far we have come. It is important to have a detailed as well as a big picture mindset. As the data enthusiast that I am, I like to track different metrics pertaining to both my blog and my personal life. Keep these things consolidated in one place so that when you are in a funk, you can open it up and remind yourself of all of your wins. Our problems can seem all consuming until we shift our perspective to the grand scheme of life.
26. Connect to Your Spirituality, Attend a Yoga Class, or Practice Gratitude
Most people have their own form of spirituality, even if you do not consider yourself a spiritual person. Connecting to this part of yourself may be highly beneficial when you are in a funk. If it is not for you, then participating in a more mindful class such as yoga, meditation, or a sound bath may help your nervous system. If all of these things are not for you, even just practicing gratitude can help you stay afloat when times are tough.
27. Create Change
Sometimes the current repetition of your life may have you feeling lost and out of control. When you are in a funk, it may be helpful to create change in your routine and environment to help spark new feelings and outcomes. This could be changing up your workout routine, taking a different route to work, trying out a new coffee shop, testing out a new look, joining a new community group, or doing some feng shui in your environment. Sometimes all we need is some change to spark what needs to happen next in life. If you are feeling stuck in a toxic environment, make some shifts in the areas that you are able to control (blog to come on feeling stuck!).
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