5 Ways to Rescue a Day Gone Bad

 5 Ways to Rescue a Day Gone Bad

Have you ever had a day where you feel like you can’t do anything right?

Whether it starts with a single small mistake or a much bigger issue, we’ve all had a day like that sometime in our lives. However, we often have more control over days like that than we think. Stopping a day where you can’t do anything right is really just about changing the momentum¹ of your day.  Here’s how to do that:

1. Clear your head: On days like this, our brains can be our own worst enemy. We weigh our minds down with worries about the mistakes we’ve already made and anticipate² ones in the future.

To escape this string of failures, what you need to do is clear your head. You can go for a walk, do a quick coffee run, or just take a few minutes to meditate³ at your desk. Whichever way you choose, taking the time to clear you head can change the direction of your day.

2. Pick an easy win: Sometimes, all you need to break a string of losses is a win. It doesn’t even matter if the win is a small one. On a day where you feel like you can’t do anything right, your brain can be your own worst enemy.

Picking an easy win can be the key to re-establishing your confidence.

3. Sweat it out: While we have created a complex society, we are still the same Homo Sapiens who had to hunt for food and fight for survival⁴ on a daily basis. We have “fight or flight” reactions that make perfect sense for survival, but are very counter-productive in the average office environment.

Taking a brief exercise break can help you burn off the stress hormones⁵ that you’ve built up and clear your head.

4. Trade it off: If one task is proving particular insurmountable for you, can you trade it off with a colleague for one that they dislike? You’ll still end up with a difficult task, but perhaps you can get one that you find more manageable than the particular task that was causing you such troubles.

5. Bow out gracefully⁶: Sometimes matters are truly beyond our control. Perhaps you came to work sick, or have some other obstacle⁷ to you finishing your day. Either way, sometimes getting out of the way of trouble is the best way to not encounter⁸ it.

Remember, many times a bad day can be rescued before it’s too late. So, don’t surrender⁹ before you give it a try!

1 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

2 anticipate   

vt.预期(料)，期望；提前使用，先行动

参考例句：

• I anticipate his arrival at four o'clock.我期待他4点钟到达。
• He tried to anticipate all my needs.他设法将我需要的东西预先准备好。

3 meditate   

v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想

参考例句：

• It is important to meditate on the meaning of life.思考人生的意义很重要。
• I was meditating,and reached a higher state of consciousness.我在冥想，并进入了一个更高的意识境界。

4 survival   

n.留住生命，生存，残存，幸存者

参考例句：

• The doctor told my wife I had a fifty-fifty chance of survival.医生告诉我的妻子，说我活下去的可能性只有50%。
• The old man was a survival of a past age.这位老人是上一代的遗老。

5 hormones   

n. 荷尔蒙，激素 名词hormone的复数形式

参考例句：

• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body. 这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。
• The adrenals produce a large per cent of a man's sex hormones. 肾上腺分泌人体的大部分性激素。

6 gracefully   

ad.大大方方地；优美地

参考例句：

• She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

7 obstacle   

n.障碍，障碍物，妨害

参考例句：

• She felt that her family was an obstacle to her work.她感到她的家庭妨碍她的工作。
• He is in the full flush of success;nothing was an obstacle.他的成就如日中天，锐不可当。

8 encounter   

v.遇到，偶然碰到；遭遇；n.遭遇；意外的相见

参考例句：

• It was a bloody encounter between the two armies. 这是那两军之间的一次激烈的遭遇战。
• A fortunate encounter brought the two friends together after a long separation.两位老朋友长期分离这次才有幸相遇。

9 surrender   

v.投降，自首；屈服；交出，放弃

参考例句：

• He preferred to die rather than surrender to the enemy.他宁死也不愿向敌人投降。
• Liu Hulan would rather die than surrender before the enemy.刘胡兰在敌人面前宁死不屈。