A funk day is just a low space filled with negative contortion,
A mindset manufacturing negative distortions
All out of proportion to life’s daily misfortunes
which can be taken lightly and built to good fortune
Yes, a low is just a high waiting to blossom
From proactive steps taken daily, let go of the caution.
–Patrice Wolters
Funk days. We all get them. Blah days. Hide under the covers days. Days where our motivation is low and our lethargy is high. Some people use food to cope. Others just want to lie in bed. But I am going to give you the cold truth: you just need to get moving! The best cure for funk days is a combination of rest and activity. I call it Restivity. Let yourself sleep in for an hour, but then get up and get something done.
Here are three strategies for getting some Restivity into your life:
- Start with exercise. You don’t have to run a marathon or do 1,000 burpees. You don’t even have to get up. Just move. Susan broke out of the blahs by doing 20 leg lifts in bed. After, she felt motivated to get up and cook a healthy breakfast. Mario stood up and did 20 slow squats; this ignited him for more action. Do something, anything, in the morning to get moving, then make yourself a healthy breakfast. Even something as simple as Cheerios and milk with fruit can get you started on your day.
- Visualize yourself getting something done. Since February is here, maybe it’s time to get started on those taxes. Feeling overwhelmed? Just do the first step: make a list of what you need to get together. Imagine how you’ll feel when it’s all done, then decide on a prize to give yourself as a reward. Any big organizational project can be broken down into doable parts—just start with one reasonable task.
- Commit to motivational thinking. For one week, pay attention to your thoughts. When you find yourself having a negative thought, write it down. Later, review what you’ve written. Do you see any patterns of distortions or negative mindsets? Jim used to tell himself he was a loser whenever he was criticized at work, instead of just rolling with the flow and using the constructive feedback. When people are in a funk, they often fall victim to negative thinking, extreme thinking, and thinking distortions like Jim did. Megan used to tell herself she was a failure when she didn’t get a job interview. Now, she realizes lots of people don’t get jobs they apply for. Simply recognizing your negative mindsets can help you break out of your funk.
Don’t forget to reward yourself for a job well done. Here are some easy and inexpensive ideas:
Watch cute animal videos on YouTube.
Dance to your favorite music from when you were a teenager.
Call up a friend and make plans with them.
Watch highlight reels from your favorite sport.
Better yet, go out and play it yourself! Have a ball!
Do some online window shopping. I like to fill up my “cart” without buying anything.
Remember, busting out of a funk isn’t hard, but it’s all about taking some proactive steps!