What to Do On Those Days When You Just Can’t Focus

What to Do On Those Days When You Just Can’t Focus

I am writing this, because today is precisely one of those days. I’ve been having sleep issues and back end website problems for the past week, and it all finally caught up to me at once. Now I am ‘enjoying’ a roaring headache, lack of focus, and just general apathy. On a day like this I usually wander around the apartment aimlessly, without getting much done, and always regret it later. I always admired people who can perform well under pressure, or those who can continue working, seemingly unaffected by their everyday struggles. To me, it’s all kind of a big mush, though – if one thing is off, everything is off.

I know I’m not an expert on this, but I thought it would be helpful if I shared a few tips on dealing with these moods. You can still have a productive day [sort of], even if it doesn’t feel that way.

AT HOME:

• Declutter the area that you normally avoid.
• Plan out your outfits for the week.
• Clean inside fridge, and toss expired items.
• Organize the pantry.
• Sort through your mail.
• Finally sign those thank you cards.
• Do laundry, starting with sheets, place mats, and towels.
• Plan the meals for the week.
• Do a quick meal prep for the next couple of days.
• Try a new recipe that takes longer than usual to prepare.
• Clean your desk.

FOR THE BLOG:

• Plan out the blog posts for the week.
• Shoot photos for the blog that don’t require creative staging, like nail or makeup swatches.
• Reply to blog and social media comments.
• Update the plugins and run a full blog backup.
• Re-promote your most popular blog posts on social media.
• Reply to emails.
• Update old posts that still get a lot of traffic with new affiliate links and photos, if possible.
• Send your recent product features to PR contacts.
• Request the necessary products for future features.

SELF-CARE:

• Dedicate time to do a proper skincare routine, AM and PM.
• Relax and enjoy a sheet mask for 30 minutes.
• Take a nap.
• Play with your pet.
• Take a long relaxing shower or a bath.
• Exercise. At the very least, try to do some slow stretches in bed.
• Go for a walk.
• Treat this day like a vacation.
• Read a book.

I know that a lot of these tips are better suited for people without kids, or for those of us who work from home, but many of them are pretty universal. I tend to feel a lot better the next day if I still manage to do something useful or enriching when I’m at my lowest. That includes self-care, which helps lower stress levels and improves mental state, setting me up for a productive day tomorrow. Of course I never do all of these at once, instead I pick 3-4. One must be time-consuming, like cleaning the fridge for instance, and the rest can be whatever. If I can manage to do just 3 tasks on an otherwise low-energy, unproductive day, I feel like a winner.

What do you do when you can’t focus? Let me know in the comments below!