How to have a good day after having a crappy night?

My answer? Spend the day in bed crying about the previous night or just sleep, avoiding all your problems. You can also get lost in the plunging trenches of rom-com novels or movies (You can't be picky). Avoidance as a coping mechanism is a thing anyway. However, it would only be attainable in an alternate reality or in a world where my job and promotion were not on the line in the first place. So instead, I do what all normal humans do these days—try to face the problem like a warrior that I am not (yes, I like the first three options better but...). I have to find a way to get my shit together and get ready for work. As desperate as I am, I pick up my phone and log on to Google search and type in my query.

How to have a good day after having a crappy night?

Google, in its infinite wisdom, churns out interesting alternatives.

How to get through the day after a bad night's sleep?

How to Have a Good Day After a Bad Night of Sleep?

Dos and Don'ts After a Bad Night's Sleep

31 Ways to Feel Better When Having a Bad Day

People also ask:

Why do I feel sick after a bad night's sleep?

How can I get motivated after sleeping at night?

Are 4 hours of sleep OK for one night?

What happens if you only get 3 hours of sleep for one night?

I choose one of those closets to my mission and I discover a slew of novel routines to help me get through the day. Nothing should go wrong today. Nothing!

Step one: Try not to overthink it.

The more you think about how badly your night went, the worse you'll feel. If you need to get it out of your system, journal or vent to a friend, and then do your best not to dwell on it. Overthinking will only stress you out. You've survived a bad terrible day before. Safe to say you will survive this one too.

I pause on "too" and smile. I take a deep breath and smile again before whispering to myself, "I will survive this one too". A sweet, sweet assurance, very flattering and fluttering. I feel a weight leave my shoulders, my despair lifting. But there is more. I read on.

Step two: Take a cold shower.

Well, I am not a fan of cold baths. I find them cruel (don't judge me) but who am I to question some expert's findings? I comply. Besides, the article declares that "taking a cold shower is a moment for you to take a breather, to re-centre, and to reawaken your peaceful self". And I need that, at this moment, more than anything. Hell, if I have to swim an iced river (or a glacier) to get there. I will. I need that peace. I must find my peaceful self. The time is 5:30 a.m when I look at my watch. I set the timer to 30 minutes and head to the bathroom for my rejuvenation, to open the doors to a renewed me. I go in the with healing in mind and that is all I focus on. Under the shower, the water comes like a palliative waterfall, as if I am trapped in arms that flow and hug so tenderly. To soak my naked body in that cold water, to feel it embrace my skin so lovingly, to breathe in the perfume of the soap, all that, becomes my nirvana, a place where I can breathe deeply and let my inner calm return. It feels like magic!

Right after the therapeutic bath, I walk to my wardrobe and throw on the most flower-patterned dress I own. I feel blissful. Like the blossoming of a new flower bud exposed to the wonders of a great new world. And I intend to let my looks reflect what I feel inside. Yes, I am that type. I dress to compliment my mood.

Step three: Drink coffee (but not too much).

You may raise your alertness and energy levels by consuming a moderate amount of caffeine. In the morning, a cup or two of tea or coffee might help you get through the day.

I do just that. A moderate cup of Nestle coffee. Dark. No additional sugar or milk. Exactly how I like my coffee. I take sips as I sit in the car to work. Taking moments to make each sip count. I savour the bitterness in my taste bud, reminding myself of why I have to do this. Why I need to fight and not let my emotions take up a chunk of the little breathing space I have in my mind.

Step four: Go outside for a walk.

Getting as much natural light as possible, particularly shortly after waking up, will provide your body with the natural signals it needs to wake up and be awake. Melatonin is a sleep hormone that is produced when the body is exposed to low levels of light. Even on a gloomy day, you may benefit from natural light. Physical activity and movement are also known to increase alertness. Keep moving, even if you're fatigued from a lack of or low-quality sleep.

This step should be easy. But I delay it until I get to work. I make up for the "physical activity" part as I make my way up the stairs to the SIKA boardroom. The boardroom is on the fourth floor but I do not take the lift like I usually do. Anything to stay on the positive side today. Anything! I think as I stride forward, Stanley's assignment folder in one hand, and my phone in another.

You need to get the folder to the boardroom ASAP.

Stanley's P.A, Helen, had sent me that message indicating Stanley is almost done with his meeting. Before the meeting, earlier this morning, he called me to his office to ask me to prepare a compilation of our previous major campaigns.

"The meeting should be done in an hour. You should be done by that time," he instructed.

I nodded before asking, "That means I don't get to join the meeting anymore?"

It was his turn to nod but he added a smile to the potion, breaking my heart rather gently. His answer brought a mixture of feelings. I was relieved and worried. Relieved because I wasn't sure I was ready to be in such "big" meetings. What if I mess something up? I know I am capable. I just, sometimes, get so nervous (just like most people) and it gets the best of me. I am working on that. Trust me. But then, I was also worried because I could think of thousands of reasons why he might have asked me not to join them but the most glaring was that he didn't want me on the new project anymore. That I wasn't ever going to get the promotion.

My phone vibrates, stabbing my thoughts violently. Note to self: Do something about this vibration on the phone. This shit might vibrate my innards out one day. I swipe it to find a message on LinkedUp by Koku. I open the app and groan at his assiduousness. Is he ever going to give up?

Koku: Are you ever going to reply to me?

Me: I am fat, Koku. Amd I don't think I am the type of woman you are looking for. That is why I didn't want to send my pic to you. That is why I cancelled the dinner.

I hit the send button prepared, ready to receive another string of harsh words from a possible suitor. It doesn't take long before three blinking dots appear in the chat. He is typing. He is replying. He is—

Thud!

I feel a heavy bump on my shoulder. A sharp pain vibrates through me. Then the folder and its content fly to the floor, scattering everywhere. My phone follows. I am not able to save it despite the attempt. The screen hits the floor. It all happens so fast. I sink to the ground immediately to pick up the phone. A Reflex action of sorts. I turn it over and the screen is, as expected, cracked!

I sigh before shouting, "For fuck's sake! Just watch where you go!"

The person who bumped into me turns around, at the sound of my voice, appearing lost. Or distraught. Not sure how best to describe his countenance. Then I recognise the face. It is him! My God, it is...what is he doing here? Then he turns around to leave.

"Hey. Hey...Hey!"

I call after him but he doesn't stop walking. He doesn't stop to see if I am fine. He enters the lift just like that. He doesn't say "sorry" nor help me pick up the documents from the floor. Reports I spent the entire morning putting together. All of it. Scattered. Stanley...He is waiting for me. He is waiting for them. God!  I start picking them up in a panic, my heart swimming in anger. Is there someone who exists to be this obnoxious? And why do I keep encountering him?

***