6. Call it a day
If you’re having a really bad day, call it a day, early.
Staring at a blinking cursor doesn’t help anybody.
You may have to put a few more hours in later in the week, but its worth it. If I’m struggling, I’ll often just pack it in and start early the next day. Often, I’ll accomplish far more in two great hours than I would have in four hours on a day when I was struggling.
Feel guilty about leaving early? If you have the freedom to set your own hours, don’t. Often leaders will think of value in terms of the hours they put in. This is a mistake.
Don’t judge your work by the hours you put in but by the output you produce.
If you can produce a better outcome the next day, do it.
7. Get a great night’s sleep
Don’t dismiss this. Sleep is so important.
Go to bed early. Shoot for eight hours. You will feel so much better in the morning.
Watch what happens to your emotions when you sleep for eight hours. They get healthier.
You’ll be much better positioned to deal with lingering issues when you’re well rested. And chances are your funk will disappear.
Sleep is the secret leadership weapon no-one wants to talk about.
Naturally, if your bad day becomes a bad week and bad season, you may have something else going on. I blogged about getting through bad seasons and even burnout here.
What helps you get through a bad day? What doesn’t?
