Photo by Bran Sodre

There are days – or weeks, or even longer – when things just feel off. You might still be doing all the same things you normally do, ticking things off your list, replying to messages, turning up where you need to be, but underneath it all, something doesn’t quite feel right – maybe you’re flat, maybe you’re tired in a way that rest doesn’t seem to fix, maybe your thoughts feel scattered, or you keep zoning out, or you’re trying really hard to act like yourself when really, you just don’t feel like you.

That doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you, necessarily. It just means something needs your attention. And while you don’t need to fix it all at once, there are small things you can try that won’t overwhelm you, and that might actually help. With that in mind, keep reading to find out more. 

Slow Down Without Feeling Guilty 

When you’re not feeling like yourself, it’s tempting to keep pushing through and try and be productive or keep up the pace so you don’t end up being horribly behind and getting even more stressed. But the thing to remember is that slowing down doesn’t mean you’re giving up, and you don’t need to earn your rest, and letting yourself take things gently for a while, even if just for one afternoon, can make a bigger difference than you think.

That might mean turning off notifications, or putting your phone somewhere out of reach, or choosing the quietest part of the house and just being still for a little while. You don’t have to do anything massively impressive or important with the time as long as you just get a chance to take a break. 

Do One Easy, Useful Thing

There’s a lot of pressure to be productive, even when you’re not feeling up to it. So take the pressure off by choosing one small thing that feels doable that won’t make you feel even worse, but will help you feel a bit more in control.

That could be folding laundry, or emptying the dishwasher, or replying to a message you’ve been avoiding, and even tidying one surface, or taking the bins out, can feel like a small win that makes a difference. It’s best not to try to get everything done because again, that’s just too much, but by doing one or two small jobs you can tick off a list is a fantastic way to move forward. 

Work Out What’s Draining You

Sometimes when you’re not feeling like yourself, it’s not just coming from inside – it’s also coming from the stuff around you, like the endless news updates, the group chats you can’t keep up with, and the tasks that feel urgent even when they’re not.

That’s why it’s a good idea to give yourself some space and distance when it’s needed – chats and notifications can be muted and turned off, and you really don’t have to have your phone (or any screen) with you at all times. If a message can wait for a reply, let it wait. You’ve got to take care of yourself, not worry about everyone else all the time. 

Eat Something Slowly

Food can be tricky when you’re out of sorts – you might forget to eat, or eat quickly while doing other things, or find yourself picking at snacks without really feeling satisfied. So try making something simple, warm, and familiar.

This isn’t the time to think about eating healthily or making something that looks impressive – toast with butter, pasta with salt and olive oil, soup with a piece of bread, even a frozen pizza if it comes to eat. And eat it slowly, if you can, and try not to be in front of a screen, and not while walking around. 

Give Your Hands Something To Do

There’s something wonderfully calming about keeping your hands busy when your brain feels tangled, and once again, it doesn’t need to be creative or useful – it just needs to be something you can focus on without too much thought.

That could be drawing or scribbling, stirring something on the stove, doing a puzzle, untangling headphones, brushing your hair, folding clothes, or just holding something textured that feels good, among many, many other things. It’s calming and relaxing, and could be just what’s needed to re-set your brain. 

Get Outside 

You don’t have to go for a walk or hit your step count or make a plan. You just have to step outside, even if it’s just the garden, or the street outside your front door, or a bench at the end of the road.

Fresh air actually changes things, and that’s been scientifically proven, which is exactly why it’s something that needs to be on your to-do list when you’re feeling a bit out of character. You’ll feel so much better, even if you don’t actually move around (although movement is a bonus, and it’s worth trying to do it if you can). 

Talk To Someone 

You don’t have to explain everything, and you don’t have to open up about the deeper stuff if that doesn’t feel right, but talking to someone – even about nothing in particular – can help you feel less alone.

If you do want to talk more seriously about how you’re feeling, that’s okay too. And if things have been feeling this way for a while, and nothing seems to shift, it might help to explore options like therapy. That doesn’t mean something’s wrong, and a lot of people find that it’s a good way to keep on top of negative feelings and life in general – could it be that it helps you too? 

It’s Not Forever

When you don’t feel like yourself, it’s easy to think this is just how things are now, and  that something’s changed and you’re never going to feel quite right again. But that’s the tiredness talking, or the stress, or whatever else the problem might be, and the truth is that you will get back to how you used to feel. 

And even if it takes time and you don’t bounce back quickly, and even if this quiet patch lasts longer than you’d like, that doesn’t mean you’re not healing. Sometimes your mind just needs more rest than you were expecting, so let it do what it needs to do.