10 Amazing Ways to Refresh Your Mind after a Hard Day

Hi, my name is Deanna from Life By Deanna! I’m a 20-something lifestyle blogger with the goal of creating a life I love and inspiring you to do the same. I’m all about reading, hanging with my cat, and working on my goals. If you have big dreams, let’s be friends! Come hang with me over on the blog or find me on Instagram!

We have all been there. You had a long day, nothing went right, and you are in a horrible mood; but the day isn’t over and you still have things to do! How can you bounce back and continue on with your day when it’s been so difficult and you feel so frustrated? You need a way to refresh your mind after a hard day.

There is nothing worse than allowing a lousy mood to follow you through the rest of the day. You may even find yourself saying some pretty catastrophic statements like “I am horrible at my job” or “I can never do anything right.” Yes, sometimes it’s HARD to just drop the feelings and move on but it’s so important for your mental health and overall productivity to have some ways to mentally fresh when the day has been hard and stress is building. 

What does “refresh your mind” even mean?

Refreshing your mind is essentially just calming down and clearing your head. It’s all about taking yourself from a stressed and overwhelmed place to a calmer, more in control space. 

When your day is hard and you become angry or stressed out, it’s easy for you to be in a negative head space. Refreshing your mind or “mentally refreshing” is like rebooting your computer. It’s a clean slate and a fresh start. 

It’s easier said than done and we can’t just restart ourselves like a computer! However, with the right tools and with practice you can turn a bad day around and leave the negative mood behind. 

Why it’s essential to refresh your mind

I don’t think anyone will find it surprising that there are benefits to getting yourself out of a bad mood and into a positive mindset. There are long-term benefits of being happy, being positive, and taking care of yourself both mentally and physically. Doing a simple mental refresh when you have a hard day benefits you presently and into the future. 

Benefits of refreshing your mind:

• Improving your mood
• Creating a more positive mindset
• Resiliency 
• Increased productivity 
• Improving your problem solving skills 
• Improve your health
• Lower daily stress
• More positive self talk 

There are sooo many benefits from learning to mentally refresh and bounce back from a difficult day. As you can see, there are some long term benefits like improving your health and becoming more resilient. However, if you want to focus on the short term, the biggest benefit would simply be: having a good day. 

Ways to refresh your mind

Move your body

What an easy way to refresh your mind and body! Have you ever completed a workout and felt that wave of happiness that all the endorphins give you? It’s hard to be in a bad mood when you crush a workout! 

Many people also find working out to be a great way to clear their mind and work through whatever is bothering them. 

Listen to uplifting music 

Listening to music can be so therapeutic and can put you in a great mood! It is also so easy to incorporate into your day. 

Personally, I have a short playlist on Spotify of some songs that make me happy or pump me up in some way. When I need a mood boost or feel grumpy because my day just isn’t going right, I know I can turn on a song and feel at least a little happier!

Here are some songs to refresh your mind:

• Good As Hell by Lizzo 
• Sunday Best by The Surfaces 
• Can’t Stop This Feeling by Justin Timberlake 

Now, for my more “niche” music lovers, try these songs:

• I’m A Believer by Smash Mouth (you know, from Shrek)
• Safety Dance by Men Without Hats (80’s music was a vibe)
• I Believe In A Thing Called Love by The Darkness (because we all went through a punk rock phase. Also, watch the music video for a little giggle)

Journal your thoughts and feelings 

Journaling can help you figure out why you are feeling the way you do. Is it really because of the email you received at work or is it something else? 

Journaling is a great tool for getting the negativity out onto a page and allowing yourself to move on. You can just start writing or you can use journal prompts if you need some inspiration. 

Spend time doing something you love 

Do you have a hobby? If you don’t, you should really find something! Working on a hobby or just doing something you enjoy can be a huge stress releaser. Not only is it just fun but it can help you get your mind off the horrible meeting you had and focus on something you love! 

I love to read so without a doubt I know I can sit down when I get home from work and unwind with a good book. 

Have a power nap

Sometimes you just need to sleep it off. Power naps are classified as naps lasting about 20 minutes. These naps leave you feeling more energized and refreshed. Being stressed out and in a bad mood can make you tired and being tired can put you in an even worse mood. So, if you are able to lay down for 20 minutes for a little nap, do it! When you wake up you’ll feel refreshed and you can start over! 

Get some fresh air 

Maybe you don’t have time or energy for a full workout. That’s okay! Getting yourself outside can be refreshing enough. Going for a short walk, sitting on your patio, watching the birds… it can be very calming. 

This can be a really good way to quickly refresh your mind while at work or school if you don’t have a lot of time. A quick walk around the parking lot or just taking your coffee break outside can do wonders for your mental health and mood. 

Talk to family or friends 

We have all vented to family and friends at some point in time and it can be really nice to get some feelings off your chest and have someone listen! There is nothing wrong with talking it out and maybe even getting some advice or just hearing someone understands your frustrations! 

Tip: don’t let talking to your family and friends turn into a full on complaining session. It’s one thing to spend 5 minutes getting your feelings out and a whole other to spend the night complaining! So, talk about things but then move on to more positive things.

Have a hot shower or bath 

I always have the most random revelations in the shower. I could be thinking about something all day trying to solve a problem and then in the shower, the answer will come to me like it was the most obvious thing all along! The same thing can happen with your feelings. A hot shower (or bath) can really open up your mind and allow you to see other perspectives, think more deeply, and let things go! 

Listen to a positive or motivational podcast 

Similar to music, listening to a podcast that is positive and uplifting can help you bounce back from a bad day! If you have a favorite podcaster and just hearing their voice puts you in a good mood then pick them! If you don’t have a favorite or are not sure where to look, I love listening to EmpowerHer podcast, especially her 15-20 minute pep talks! Here are some of my personal fav pep talks from her:

• [PEP TALK] FOR WHEN YOU NEED A LITTLE CONFIDENCE BOOST
• [PEP TALK] A reframe to generate more JOY & Happiness
• [PEP TALK] Is it really THAT bad?

Be in control of your day 

It’s so easy to let a bad morning turn into a bad afternoon and into a bad night. It’s easy to complain and do nothing about it. But, you aren’t going to do that! Finding ways to improve your negative mood and improve a hard day is not just beneficial for that one day!

Do yourself a favor and stop letting the day control you and START controlling the day. Decide that you will bounce back when something hard happens. Decide that one bad thing won’t lead to a bad day. Make the choice to be positive.

If you loved this post all about how to refresh your mind from Deanna, be sure to go check out her blog and Instagram!

Thank you for being here; I’ll see ya next week! ((: