Maybe it’s the changing of the seasons, but lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how to get out of a bad moment, that in-between state where nothing is exactly wrong, but everything feels a little out of place. I was more tired than usual, a little unfocused, and strangely unmotivated by the things I normally enjoy. It wasn’t dramatic enough to name, but I felt it in everything.
Sometimes it’s there the moment you wake up: a heaviness you can’t quite explain. Other times, it increases slowly, almost imperceptibly, until you realize you’ve been spending your days at half capacity. You’re getting things done, technically, but without your usual clarity or energy. And the more you try to overcome it, the more it seems to persist.
Featured image from our interview with Mary Ralph Bradley by Michelle Nash.
My instinct is always to fix it. To reset, optimize, get back to normal. But I’ve learned, through a lot of trial and error, that getting out of a bad moment is about interrupting the pattern with something that changes your energy enough.
It’s not a complete reset, but rather a pivot. Go out a few minutes longer than usual. Play music while you prepare dinner. Allow yourself to move a little slower instead of trying to catch up. The kind of choice that doesn’t seem like a solution, but changes something anyway.
When I feel this way, I don’t try to change my routine or suddenly become a different version of myself. I’m looking for a small opening, a moment when I can start my day again with a little more presence. And usually, that’s enough to start changing the tone of everything that follows.
How to get out of a bad moment, statistics
When you’re depressed, even deciding what to do can seem like too much. There is a tendency to overthink, to look for the perfect reset, the right routine, the thing that will completely get you out of that state. But often, the quickest way to feel better is to simply make a decision and follow what leads us.
Again, we are trying to create a small change, something that will interrupt the cycle you are in and return you to your body, your environment and your life as it really is. Even a slight change in energy can be enough to generate momentum.
If you’re not sure where to start, start here:
- Go outside for five minutes: no phone, just light and fresh air
- Drink a full glass of water and eat something with protein.
- Text or call someone you trust, even if it’s just to say hi
- Take a short walk (around the block counts!)
- Put your phone in another room for 10 minutes and see how you feel
The goal is not to fix everything. It’s feeling a little better than five minutes ago.
1. Do something that supports your body (right now)
When I’m depressed, my first instinct is to find out why. I need a mental explanation of what is wrong, what should change, what I should do differently. But most of the time, the problem is not something you need to solve. figure out. It’s something I need to support.
A low mood can come from surprisingly simple places: lack of sleep, lack of water, blood sugar drops, too much time inside… And when your body feels exhausted, your mind follows. What sometimes feels like a lack of motivation or clarity is simply that your system is asking for something more basic.
I have learned to start there first. Not with a complete reset or a perfectly structured routine, but with a small act of immediate self-care. Something that doesn’t require too much thinking, just a way to tell my body I’m paying attention.
Try this:
Before reaching for your phone or trying to get over the feeling, pause and do something to support your body. (See list above.) Start with what is easiest for you and see the changes.
2. Move your body (even just a little)
There’s a version of this advice that seems easy to ignore: the one that suggests a full workout or some kind of structured routine when you’re already low on energy. That’s not what it is.
When I’m depressed, movement works because it changes something almost immediately. Change my environment, my breathing, my rhythm. It interrupts the mental cycle enough to create a little space between me and whatever I’m feeling.
And it doesn’t have to be much. In truth: the smaller it is, the more likely I am to do it. A short walk. A few minutes of stretching. Even just standing up and moving around instead of staying in the same place where the mood settled.
There’s something about changing your physical state that reminds you that you’re not as stagnant as you feel.
Try this:
Get outside and walk for five minutes. Or put on a song and move your body throughout it. Keep it brief and change your status instead of your agenda.
3. Get out of your head
One of the quickest ways I know I’m depressed is how internal everything becomes. My thoughts spin, my perspective narrows, and I start to overanalyze things that normally wouldn’t carry as much weight. Even when there is technically no problem, it can start to feel heavy simply from sitting with it for too long.
What helps, almost always, is to divert my attention outward. There’s something fundamental about connecting with another person: entering into a conversation, even briefly, that doesn’t focus on your own internal dialogue.
Try this:
Reach out to someone you trust: a quick text, voice note, or short call. Ask them how they’re doing or share something small from your day.
4. Name what is really happening
Sometimes what seems like vague, all-encompassing funk is actually something more specific that hasn’t yet been fully recognized. I’ve had days where I thought I was simply off, only to realize (once I slowed down enough to notice) that I was anxious about something, avoiding a decision, or dragging up a thought I hadn’t fully processed.
A change happens when you put words to it. It doesn’t necessarily solve the problem, but it removes some of the burden of not knowing.
Try this:
Take a few minutes to write down what’s been in the back of your mind. No structure, no filters – just get it out of your head, put it on the page, and see what becomes clearer.
5. Change your environment (even slightly)
It’s easy to underestimate how much your environment influences your mood, especially when you’ve been sitting in the same place for hours. I notice this most on days when everything starts to feel a little stagnant. But even a small environmental change can disrupt that feeling. A different room. A clear surface. Fresh air. We’re not going for anything dramatic. It just has to be enough to indicate that something is moving again.
Try this:
Open a window, go outside, or move to a completely different space. If you stay still, clear a small area (a desk, a nightstand, a corner) and see how the feel of the room changes.
6. Get away from your phone
There’s a specific kind of funk that comes after spending too much time on your phone. Your energy decreases, your concentration scatters, and your mood starts to feel a little flatter than before.
It’s not just the time invested, it’s the constant contribution. You are taking in more than you can process, often without realizing it. And when you’re already feeling bad, that added noise doesn’t help, it just makes it harder to hear yourself think.
Try this:
Put your phone in another room for 10 minutes. I’m speaking completely out of my league. Then do something simple and analog: make tea, stretch, sit by a window. Pay attention to how the change in input changes your energy.
7. Do something slightly different
Sometimes fatigue can arise from monotony: the same routine, the same input, the same rhythm day after day. Even if everything works technically, there’s a point where it starts to feel a little flat. Instead, explore introducing something small and unfamiliar, just enough to break the pattern and regain some curiosity.
Try this:
Side quests are in for a reason! Take a different route on your walk, listen to something you wouldn’t normally choose, or change a part of your routine to something new. Just a small change that reminds you that there are other ways to face the day.
8. Create a little anchor in your day
When everything feels a little scattered, it’s helpful to have something stable to come back to. I think of these as anchors: simple rituals that gently bring you back to yourself.
It’s less about what you do and more about giving your day a point of connection. Something that feels consistent, even when everything else isn’t.
Try this:
Choose a small moment in your day to treat it differently. Sit outside with your coffee. Step away between tasks and take a few slow breaths. Keep it brief, but intentional, and notice how the rhythm of your day changes.
9. Let Yourself Rest Intentionally
Not all rest is the same. I’ve had many moments where I’ve tried to relax by defaulting or moving away from the area, only to feel just as bad (if not worse) afterwards.
What really helps is a different type of rest. The kind that feels chosen, not passive. Something that gives your mind a break without overstimulating it, where you don’t consume more, just leave a little space.
Try this:
Set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes and step away from screens. Lie down, sit in a quiet place, or do something simple with your hands. Let it be unproductive on purpose and see how you feel on the other side.
10. Shift your focus forward
When I’m depressed, it’s easy to get caught up in the immediacy of how I feel. It all comes down to the present moment and you may start to feel like it will last longer than it actually does.
Don’t try to force optimism or make a complete plan. Explore creating a small sensation of forward movement. Something that reminds me of this moment is not permanent, even if it seems that way.
It can be as simple as thinking about what might feel good later today or this week. Not in a way that adds pressure, but in a way that reintroduces some momentum.
Try this:
Write something you’re looking forward to. Keep it simple and specific, and let it be something you can return to when you need a reminder that this feeling is not the whole story.
This post was last updated on April 18, 2026 to include new insights..
