What do you do after a bad day at work?

[Rural]

I drive home, and pay attention. 35 miles of mountains, woods, and the occasional grazing field will do a lot to put everything in perspective.

[boy_bye]

I got a mini-trampoline for my birthday a few weeks ago, and I've found that jumping on it for 5 or 10 minutes always improves my mood!

[jjquantz]

An hour of playing the harpsichord usually does the trick for me.

[Taylorj]

- Bake
- Watch a comedy/something that makes me laugh
- Chat to friends
- Listen to music on full blast

....failing that, I have a cry and move on.

[Russ]

I haven't bad a bad day at work since I worked at the auto plant, but when I did, really taking time to appreciate the ride home always fixed it. Also doing productive things in general... baking for friends, cooking a really involved dinner, working on a personal project, cleaning the apartment, etc.

Sometimes I bitch about things to my dad, but I try not to add too much stress to his life (and it really doesn't help me as much as the other things) so that doesn't happen very often.

[AlmostIndependent]

Two Things:

1. Exercise
2. Alcohol

[galliver]

Just wanted to thank everyone. Had a poor week (nothing awful, just unfocused, missed buses, things didn't go as planned, etc), but thinking back to this thread realized it's part of a pattern and things will be better next week and I just need to give myself a hug.

[uppy]

Maybe establish some weeknight rituals to make your evenings feel more intentional? Like a 20 min at-home cocktail hour where you mix a drink and sit down and decompress. I myself need to get better at being IN the moment than a mindless robot on autopilot.

I really like the idea of a weeknight ritual, although an alcohol-based one is probably not a fantastic idea for me. 

It's reassuring to hear so many of you are also having issues with the dark.  With biking and walking the dog I'm outside a lot but basically never when its light out -- now only towards the second half of my bike commute in.  At least this is guaranteed to get better in time, but gosh I hate these last weeks leading up to the solstice.

One of the best things about the winter -- if you don't live in the center of a light-poluted city -- is the night sky. I live in a building where I can access the roof. I don't do it enough at night. It is incredible. Just go outside, somewhere quiet, and look up at the stars for about 5 minutes. However long you can stand it. Helps a lot.

[Freckles]

I just get tired of the routine of coming home, doing a little workout, cooking dinner (well I like that part) and then spending the remaining couple hours watching West Wing, and maybe getting in a little reading before bed.  During the summer it feels like there is so much time and potential in the after-work hours, and during the winter I feel like I'm in a god damn cage sometimes.

Umm, have kids?  I was just trying to think of my bad days and coping strategies and although I really hate my boss and do have stressful days at work, I just don't have this empty routine feeling.  It's more of a hamster wheel feeling sometimes because there's just always so much to be done, but kids are fun and reuniting with them at the end of each day is satisfying and heart-filling and perspective-giving, etc.  And the evening routine is a routine but with children being children, it's never dull.  :)

[Unionville]

I do something that will make me crack up laughing uncontrollable, like watching my favorite comedy.

[southern granny]

I go home and when I go in the door my dog wags and wiggles all over the living room and can't wait for me to sit down, so he can jump up beside me and say hello.  Always makes me feel better, and if I am sick or sad he is my constant companion and looks so worried for me.  I was in bed for 3 days with the flu and he hardly ever left the bed.  I know that dogs are a lot of trouble and expense, but you just can't put a price on that kind of love and loyalty.

[S0VERE1GN]

hug my daughter. hug my wife. remember that this is what its all about, not that job that is essentially worthless to me,  just a means to an end.