Have you ever felt like everything feels off and life has lost its color? One moment you’re feeling a bit under the weather, and the next you’re stuck in a cycle of bad habits and emotional exhaustion. I have also fallen victim to this feeling, and here’s what I learned to do to rescue myself from that state.

Fix your sleep schedule

This advice might sound a little cliche, but it’s important. We are human, and we must get enough rest for our bodies to function correctly. I know that nowadays many people do not have the privilege of keeping a healthy sleeping routine, but if you can help it, try going to bed before midnight. The preferred time is 22:00, since our body generates necessary hormones during this time frame, and it is important to be asleep and resting by then.

Besides going to sleep early, it is also necessary to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep in order to feel well-rested and energized. When I finally fixed my sleep schedule, I started feeling less anxious, and my mind became much clearer, which allowed me to get more things done effectively during the day.

Nourish your body

Most people assume that a “healthy diet” is only meant for people who aim to lose weight, however, it is as essential for us as a good sleep. Our body needs good nourishment in order to generate energy and function properly, not only physically, but mentally too. We are what we consume, so when we include excessive amounts of processed foods, sugars, fast food, and snacks in our diet, it might affect us in more ways than one.

Personally, when I fell into a habit of eating too much junk, I not only felt physically unwell, but also experienced mind fogginess. Then, when I started replacing these foods with something nutritious and homemade, I started feeling more energized and mentally clear. Changing my eating habits didn’t feel pressuring for once. Instead, I felt like I was finally taking care of myself, and it improved my state of mind immensely.

Move your body

If you’re stuck in a bad mental state, then you’ve probably been staying inside more than you should. In this case, it’s understandable that you feel off - humans need to be active in order to get energy flowing. I’ve been doing sports on and off for a few years now, and I can definitely tell the difference between when I am going to the gym or at least visiting Pilates classes and when I am staying home and not even getting fresh air. When I get some movement, I feel more energized and productive.

My sleep schedule improves, too. By this, I am not telling you to lift heavy weights or overexert yourself - any movement will be beneficial. Start by going for a 20-minute walk and see how you’ll immediately start feeling better. Don’t just do it once, too; make this a habit and an essential part of your routine. Some fresh air and movement will work like a charm.

Limit screen time

I know this one hurts to hear. I am slightly addicted to my phone too, and it’s normal, given that we live in such a modernized and digitalized world. Especially if you work online or in the media, you definitely spend a lot of time on your device.

Here, I am not talking about work-related phone usage, but doom scrolling whenever you feel down or lazy. Trust me, I have been there, and I always thought a few hours of binge-watching a favorite show or TikTok videos would help me feel better. Spoiler: it didn't. The more time I spent on my phone, the worse I felt. It wasn't just because I wasn’t getting any actual work done, but because I also felt mentally overwhelmed by the media I was watching. The constant consumption of short-form content and negative news gave me anxiety and an endless flow of thoughts.

Moreover, scrolling before bed ruined my sleep schedule and made my sleep restless and ineffective. So, try cutting the time you spend on your phone and see what happens. Not only will you be able to focus better during work/studying, but you’ll feel mentally better too. Trust me on this one.

Talking to people

I know better than anyone that when you’re feeling off, all you want to do is hide in your room and isolate yourself from the world. It might seem helpful, but in reality, this leads to feelings of loneliness and despair. Humans are very social beings, and we cannot go long without any contact with others. Talking to someone, be it your family member or just an acquaintance, can lift up your mood and get you out of a negative mind space.

When I finally decided to meet up with a friend after months of isolating myself, it ended up saving me. I shared my feelings with her, and besides support, she also suggested an idea, which I later turned into a job. I know it sounds a bit unrealistic, but you never know how and when opportunities will come, but they usually find us through people and connections.

Sometimes all you need is just a word of encouragement or support to keep you going. So, do not underestimate the power of words.

Take small actions

Let me guess: you were feeling bad and stopped showing up and keeping promises you made to yourself. I know, I’ve also been there and I understand that it might seem insurmountable to get anything done when you’re feeling overwhelmed. But I am not telling you to take on something big and difficult. Start small by just cleaning up, cooking for yourself, taking short walks, or reading a few pages of your favorite book.

It doesn't have to be grand, but if you at least do one thing each day, you’ll start believing you can actually do it. And belief doesn't care if it’s a small action or a big one — once you have it, you’ll think you can do anything. With each small action, you’ll feel better about yourself, and the better you feel, the more tasks you’ll be able to get done, and most importantly, you won’t have to force yourself to do them. You will naturally want to get things done.

Shift your focus to the positive

I hate toxic positivity and forcing yourself to feel good when you obviously don’t, but here I put a different meaning to “positive thinking”. I know that when you repeat one thing too many times, it starts to feel real. For example, telling yourself you’re a failure or that things aren’t working out for you. You might have failed once, but you’ve probably told yourself this a million times, and now your brain is wired to always expect failure whenever you try to do something.

Stop with the negative self-talk, unless you want to see confirmation for every single bad thing you tell yourself. Start by noticing something good. You’ve cleaned up your apartment, you’ve started going for walks, or just met up with a friend.

Notice how good you’re doing, be proud of yourself. When you shift your focus to something positive, your brain will start noticing more similar things in your life. Not only will you start feeling better mentally, but your life will start improving too.

That being said, these are the things that help me when I feel a bit off or stuck. I am not a mental health professional, so if you are experiencing something more serious or ongoing, please reach out to someone qualified. But if you’re simply feeling out of balance and want to improve how you’re feeling, then I hope my advice will help you find a way back to yourself. And if you’re reading this, you’re already doing more than you think. I am proud of you, and you’ve got this!