1. Stop Hitting Snooze
1.1. Start your day with confidence by getting out of bed when you say you will.
1.1.1. While spending an extra 20 minutes or half-hour in bed feels good physically, it’s a set up for feeling bad emotionally.
1.1.2. Snoozing is breaking a promise with yourself.
1.1.2.1. When you set that alarm for 6:00 AM, you were committing to getting up then.
1.1.2.2. By snoozing, you broke the commitment, which means your self-esteem is going to take a hit.
2. Ask Your Barista How Their Day is Going
2.1. Improve your mood by creating small moments of positive social interaction throughout your day
2.2. We humans are social to our core. Take advantage of that fact.
2.3. Don't miss the opportunities for quality social interaction.
2.4. Take a little time to make a positive connection with another person throughout your day.
3. Have a Walking Lunch
3.1. Give yourself a break from all the negative cues from your work environment by taking your lunch out and going for a walk for 15 or 30 minutes.
3.1.1. You’ll be exposed to all sorts of novel, non-work related environmental cues which can positively impact your mood.
3.1.2. Sometimes low mood is simply the result of too much time spent in a stressful environment.
3.1.3. If you can break out of that environment, even briefly, your mood will lift as a result.
4. Take a Mindful Music Break
4.1. Use this strategy - the mindful music break
4.1.1. Take a 15-minute break.
4.1.2. Cue up two or three of your favourite songs on your phone or computer.
4.1.3. Put on some nice headphones. Consider investing in some high-quality headphones.
4.1.4. Close your eyes and start the music.
4.1.5. Hold your attention on the sound of the music.
4.1.5.1. If you find your attention wandering, gently shift your focus back to the sound of the songs.
5. Text Someone You Love For No Reason
5.1. Try this:
5.1.1. Make a list of 5–10 people whom you love and care about.
5.1.2. Set a recurring daily reminder on your phone for any time you like.
5.1.3. When the reminder goes off each day, take 30 seconds and text the first person on your list.
5.1.4. Work your way down the list, texting a new person on the list each day.
6. Jot Down Tomorrow’s Top 3
6.1. Convince your mind that you’ve got a consistent and reliable method for remembering and doing important things.
6.1.1. Chronic worry and anxiety is a common source of low mood.
6.1.2. Worry is a memory aid.
6.1.3. Your mind will stop worrying so much when it trusts you to remember important things.
6.2. Use this technique - Tomorrow’s Top 3.
6.2.1. At the end of your workday, set aside 5 minutes after you’ve finished up work but before you leave.
6.2.2. Take out an index card or sticky note and put it front and centre on your desk, workspace, or wherever you begin your workday.
6.2.3. Next, write down the three most important things you’d like to get done the following day.
7. Conduct an Evening Review
7.1. Try this
7.1.1. What’s one thing you could do 1% better tomorrow.
7.1.1.1. It’s small enough to seem doable but, when compounded over years, small bits of 1% improvement add up to major changes.
7.1.2. What’s one thing you’re grateful for.
7.1.2.1. When it comes to gratitude, the more specific the better.