From Ed’s Guest Blogger: 5 Ways to Recover From a Terrible Day at Work

By Stephanie Osmanski

When you have a bad day at work, it can feel impossible to leave the negativity behind. All too often, the stresses of the workplace follow us into the elevator and ride the subway back home with us. They cross our threshold and infiltrate our apartments.

But while bad days might be inevitable, a rough time at your 9 to 5 doesn’t necessarily have to dictate the rest of your night. Follow my best tips for destressing in a healthy way and you’ll be feeling better in no time!

1. Schedule a weekly vent sesh.
Create a safe space in which you feel comfortable talking about whatever is bothering you—maybe you and your pals religiously celebrate Wednesday Wine Night or meet up for SoulCycle classes. Having a regular appointment means you’ll never have to let your frustration build up for too long, and you’ll also have something fun to look forward to. Just remember to give yourself only 15 minutes to unload, and then drop all work topics for the rest of the night so you can focus on something positive.

2. Try a new recipe.
When you’re feeling stressed, it’s all too easy to reach for comfort food. But before you order Ben & Jerry’s to your doorstep via Seamless delivery (yep, been there and it doesn’t work), try this instead: channel your negative energy in the kitchen. Pull up that recipe on Pinterest you’ve been wanting to try and finally give it a go. Maybe it’ll become your new favorite meal!

3. Create an uplifting Spotify playlist.
Music is proven to change your mood. Instead of wallowing in self-pity and depressing music, create a special Spotify playlist of all the smile-inducing songs that no-fail lift your spirits every time.

4. Find a side gig or hobby.
Having something else that you’re passionate about can help you separate the negativity associated with your day’s work. It could be painting, freelance writing, or even an adult coloring book—whatever helps you unwind and provides you with purpose.

5. Treat yo’self.
You had a hard day. You deserve Lush bath bombs and lavish facial scrubs that eradicate whiteheads and reduce the size of your pores. You deserve rosé and three consecutive episodes of the new season of Narcos or that $25 lipstick from Sephora you’ve been secretly eying for a month. Go for it!

Stephanie is a chai tea enthusiast with a special penchant for telling apart the Sprouse twins. She works as a social media editor in the magazine industry and blogs about all things lifestyle at StephOsmanski.com. Her words have been featured on Life & Style, InTouch Weekly, Seventeen, USA Today, Parents, and more. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram.