You’re allowed bad days. Last Monday was one of those days it seemed nothing was working. The quality of the previous night’s sleep determines my mood for the next day. That morning I felt good-ish, not bad, but not great.
Monday morning, I had one client go way over time, a last-minute cancellation, and a no-show. The client that went over time went into a consultation I had with a potential new client. When a counselor is late to their own session, that means the person I am meeting with will not be a new client. So, I had two hours to fill and frustration to process partially on the fact that I had the authority to say “time is up” for that session that went over that resulted in losing a potential client.
Moments in a day not going as planned can really sideline a person resulting in something negative and wasting that time. Plan B, I did what I could to salvage the time. I had time to make some calls I had been procrastinating.
What are potential “sidelines” that can spiral into peril? One temptation of mine was to watch the show “Ozark” on Netflix. Not an inherently bad choice but not the best use of time. One of those calls I had to make was to cancel a phone line and while I was on hold, I typed out part of this blog. Another phone call was to get a new script and prior authorization in for a medication I take for the 2022 year. So, more of the blog typed out.
A potential sideline goes along the train of thought, “this day is shot, I might as well____.” Whether that blank is taking a nap or delving more into self-pity, going down this train of thinking makes it easier to repeat the next time you have a bad day. Even if the entire time is not entirely made up, the time was made useful.
The rest of the day went as planned, as it was the hours between 10a to 2p that did not go as scheduled. If I had taken a nap or binged watched a show, that certainly would not be the worse use of time. Since I was able to spin the time into something productive, it set a better precedent for myself as no-shows are part being a therapist.
Bad days are guaranteed to come. Especially working with other people something unexpected will happen. The practice comes in using the downtime or missed opportunity for something useful and productive.
Also, do not let the bad overshadow the part of the day that did go as planned. That comes with practice. For example, just because four hours did not go as planned does not mean I have to label the whole day as bad. Be grateful for went well and learn from those experiences to make sure they happen more often.
If you are looking for a therapist near you then a Google search is a great way of finding one. I happen to be a therapist in Charlotte, NC but am licensed to counsel anyone in the state of North Carolina. In Google, try looking for “psychotherapist,” “find therapist,” “therapy near me,” or even “counseling charlotte, nc.” If you feel like you have hit a wall you are not able to get past, call me at (704) 458-6298 or email me at jeffhelms@clearerthoughtspllc.com.
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