Do you guys know the Limp Bizkit song “Break Stuff”? Yes? No? Think you do but you forgot? Pretending not to because it’s a Limp Bizkit song?
Totally understand that last one.
Regardless of how you answer the question, though, here’s the first verse:
It’s just one of those days
When you don’t wanna wake up
Everything is fucked
Everybody sucks
You don’t really know why
But you want justify
Rippin’ someone’s head off
No human contact
And if you interact
Your life is on contract
Your best bet is to stay away motherfucker
It’s just one of those days
That was my day yesterday. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong including an unexpected trip to get my daughter’s finger examined (middle finger, of course, because she’s my child. Except mine would get hurt from overuse instead of tumbling). Fortunately the finger isn’t broken (thank G-d for small miracles) but all the other things sucked a fat one.
Days like yesterday throw me for many days to come because I am a creature of routine and habit and to-do lists. I need organization and structure in my day, at least during working hours since the rest of my day is subject to chaos and when my working hours are destroyed, it’s hard to get myself back together.
I mean, I do eventually get my shit in check, mostly thanks to my foolproof 12 step plan:
Step 1: Overuse the word “motherfucker”. Scream many other expletives. Mostly at people who can’t hear me because the last thing I want is a rumble. I don’t need that Sharks vs. Jets shit in my day.
Step 2: Call the husband. Talk nonsensically and bother him at work for about 30 minutes.
Step 3: Avoid problems by scrolling through all the social media.
Step 4: Declare I hate my life and sketch out a plan to run away and live in a tiny house in the mountains away from everyone except my dogs and cat.
Step 5: Call the husband again. Repeat Step 2
Step 6: Eat dozens of Cheez Its or chips or something else bad for me. Seriously contemplate getting drunk in the middle of the day.
Step 7: Realize getting drunk in the middle of the day is, in fact, a terrible choice. Praise myself for making one good choice. Use it as a gateway to calm the fuck down and start refocusing.
Step 8: Put on a good playlist and sit for a song or two to center and get in a good place.
Step 9: Examine my initial to-do list. Prioritize and determine what needs finishing or attention immediately. Decide to work on that in the short time I have left during the day. Make a new to-do list, realizing that nothing I do is actually urgent and if it has to wait a day or two, the world will survive.
Step 10: Berate myself for overreacting. Berate myself for berating myself. Take a detour from work to eat more Cheez Its. Berate myself for that but tell myself that Cheez Its eaten while in the midst of a terrible day don’t count. Fill up a huge glass of water to cancel out the Cheez Its. Bring it upstairs because real work gets done in the office, not the living room.
Step 11: Sit down at the laptop. Remind myself that everyone has bad days, has unproductive days, and anyone who says they don’t is a big fat fucking liar.
Step 12: Accept all that happened, get over it, and move on.
Bonus step: Complete one task, no matter how small. Call it a good day.
The best part is, if you guys need it, my plan is totally free for you to use! It’s not foolproof and doesn’t always work but it’s mostly useful. Especially if you throw a nap or a few solid of hours of Netflix into the mix.
How do you guys get on track after a bad day?
P.S. There’s no podcast episode in the post today BUT you can listen via your favorite podcasting app! iTunes approved us!
Ugh I hate when something just completely throws off your day! I’m like you and like my schedule and have to stick to it. The yelling of multiple expletives, complaining to the husband and eating something terrible for me sounds like the perfect way to help me get back on track!
Ashley @ The Wandering Weekenders recently posted…Work Conferencing in Las Vegas
Ah yes step one is very important and must be repeated several times through for me! Sorry yesterday was a bad day, but I hope today is better!!! And at least the child didn’t break her middle finger. I am sure it will get a lot of use in her future and she will be thankful for that! I like to listen to Linkin Park when I get mad.
Nadine recently posted…Currently
I try to find as much perspective and things to be grateful for as possible. I had one of those bad days on Tuesday, but in the end it’s really small stuff and if I focus on the negative I stay in a funk, and I hate that place…
Tonya@Budget and the Beach recently posted…March Recap
I usually swear a lot and wear my b*tch face all day.
I feel like working from home makes it hard to be productive even on good days sometimes so the fact that you managed one thing on a bad day is impressive!
Kelli recently posted…Beach Scenes – 4/5
Sorry about your bad day but can I say that I giggled at the run away to the house in the mountains part! Because Ive legit has that thought lol
Oh my gosh, you have no idea how much I love this! Ha, I can relate to every step of your plan 🙂
Mackenzie recently posted…Healthy, Strong, and Vibrant
I usually stop at ‘contemplate getting drunk in the middle of the day’ because I just go ahead and do it. Because I’m a lawyer and our fridge is stocked with nothing but booze – it’s just what we do.
P.S. that Limp Bizkit cd was the very first one I ever owned, personally. I used to think I was a badass, listening only to bands that played at warped tour and wearing lots of black and spikes and ripped things. I got over it.
Stephanie recently posted…Three on Thursday
Cheez-Its or some other bad for me snack are usually a component. Revise list is at the top of mine! I am very thrown when my routine is off.
SMD @ Life According to Steph recently posted…Thursday Thoughts: Abbreviated version.
If you get nothing done, at least you got through the 12 steps right? Getting through a bad day, for me, means getting a Frappuccino at Starbucks or taking a nap.
P. S. Listened to Ep 1 of your podcast. Loved hearing your voices and your honest reivew of “Fates and Fury”. I can’t wait to listen to the other 3! I’ve got ’em all queued up for my commute.
lisacng @ expandng.com recently posted…Kids being kids {photos}
I love this and do the same, except replace complaining to husband with cat. I suspect both roll their eyes at us (when we can’t see them because they are not idiots). Normally when things go haywire for me, I typically either blame myself (lame) or pout (yup, I’m a two-year-old), then go take a nap (cuz I’m old). Here’s to tomorrow being a new day.
Tanya @ A Mindful Migration recently posted…The Books I Loved, Liked and Loathed in March
I will PROUDLY say that I knew every one of those lyrics by heart. It’s the only song that gets me some days. I totally hear you. Also your Step 1 is the only accurate Step 1 there is. Hope you’re back on track today.
alyssa recently posted…Currently: Springing Forward
1- eat my feelings
2- listen to rage-y music
3- isolate and hole up in my apartment so i don’t have to interact with humans
That seems to do the trick! Sorry you had a craptastic day 🙁
I also get incredibly thrown off if something disrupts my routine. Last month we spent the first weekend in Kansas City visiting with Eric’s older brother and his family, and I really struggled getting back into a schedule and routine after we got back. We were literally gone for two days. That shouldn’t mess me up. But, for whatever reason, it did.
At least my routine was thrown off for a good/fun reason, though. When something shitty happens (like you mentioned here), I feel like it’s that much harder to get back on track. I just want to feel angry or sad or a combination of the two.
I love using music as an outlet for all of that anger and sadness. This is probably why I love really sad/angry music in the first place. I’ve had “Angry Songs Playlist” on my list of blog posts to write for a long time … Maybe I should consider working on that playlist soon.
Kristen recently posted…March 2016 Goals and Results
I curse when I’m pissed. Heck, sometimes I curse when I’m not pissed. It helps.
And I love Cheez Its. They are so good. And Nilla wafers. Not at the same time though because ick.
Amber recently posted…We’re PCSing But We Don’t Have A House Yet
I’m a new reader of your blog! Found your podcast from Steph. Fell in love with it. Then looked up your blog.
I agree. Bad days can derail me, but I try to reset at lunch every day. I grab a book. Books fix everything.
oh my gosh that song. throwing it way back. it’s the perfect bad day song. if i was at home during a day like that, i would definitely get drunk in the middle of the day.. but i don’t have a kid to worry about haha. good to hear she didn’t break her finger!
kristen recently posted…Favourites Lately
Yet another example of us being twinsies. We really should stop this. It’s becoming weird. Or fun. I choose weird AND fun.
Because when shit hits the fan, this is pretty much my order of business as well.
And, that Limp Biskit song. I’m not ashamed to admit that I like it a lot. As well as Rollin’.
Erin recently posted…50 movies I should (and plan to) watch