Have you ever had one of those days?

Have you ever had one of those days where you’re halfway through it and you think it might be best for all involved if you just go back to bed and throw the covers over your head?

You know, the kind of day when the words just aren’t flowing, the brain just won’t really focus, yet you have to smile and act as professionally as possible all while seemingly forcing yourself to even think?

It’s the kind of day where one small thing in the morning seems to throw your mental and emotional equilibrium off a bit and you spend the rest of the day trying to get it all sorted out.

Today was one of those days for me, one of those times when the most obvious things just didn’t seem so obvious and things I usually know how to do almost automatically and without really thinking just didn’t flow.

We all have those days sometimes, but the question is how to we not just follow our desire to run and hide?

It may sound clichéd, but the first step is really just to keep carrying on. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take a few moments just to breathe – deeply if you can – and slow down those thoughts and try to see through the fog that your brain seems to have become.

This may also be a sign for you to take things a little slower on those days and be forgiving of mistakes you might make. You are human, after all, and being human and being perfect just don’t work together. Not only are you allowed to make mistakes; it is almost inevitable that no matter how much you try or how competent you are, errors will happen. And for most of us, correcting these errors may involve fixing a print document or entries in a database. Maybe it involves making a phone call or sending an email to apologize for an oversight. Do what you can to correct the situation as quickly as possible. Waiting and letting it weigh on your mind will just make the situation seem bigger and more insurmountable.

The people on the receiving end may be completely understanding and forgiving. They may be angry and condescending, but you know what? They aren’t perfect either and will make mistakes as well. Maybe you’re catching them on a bad day, maybe this is an area of their character that they especially need to work on but they are wonderful in so many other ways. Don’t take it personally. Remind yourself that you’re doing the best you can and that tomorrow is another day. Breathe, smile and do what you need to do.

And remember to be understanding when someone else is having one of “those” days too. We can all use all the love and support we can get.