Have you ever had one of those days when you just don’t ‘feel it’ – when you simply can’t get going? I have those days sometimes and they drive me to distraction. My advice? Just do something!

Our brains so love those simple and repetitive, mechanical, jobs. Like clipping a hedge, stacking some cups or building a Lego model. They’re therapeutic for our brains, like a mental massage. Gazing into the sea can do this too, but we don’t all have a view of the sea from our desks!

Sometimes I’ve got in such a rut that the frustration builds, grows and morphs into anger. To short circuit this I’ve developed a super simple strategy to bypass the issue entirely. Because the alternative is me, sitting in a rocking chair – swinging forwards and backwards – while the list of jobs grows.

All I do is wear myself out for nothing. So, if you find yourself in this sort of a spiralling conundrum too do something simple.

In my worst moments I’ve stripped the dishwasher to clean all those really icky parts you can’t usually reach; I’ve mopped floors; I’ve taken apart a vacuum cleaner to clean all of its interior surfaces!

And here’s the thing about approaching a frustration mood in this way. You don’t to do a Julie Andrews and clean the whole house until it is beyond spotless. You just have to apply the smallest level of effort you have. And just do it.

Today? I dusted the desks in the office, hung up some string – so I could display cards I’ve been given which are precious – and emptied the recycling bins, twice. I’ve squashed the main waste bin, so we can get more rubbish in it (we missed the last collection when we were away on holiday) and generally made the house a little less messy.

It wasn’t in a terrible state before but it certainly is in a better state now and I can see the difference – my desk now is dust free once again and my frustration has gone.

It’s the same reason I detest New Year’s resolutions, when we’re encouraged to ‘stop doing something’. If you could’ve, you would’ve already! Ok, the seasonal collective motivation might help, but it is much easier to begin something, than to stop something. And starting one thing stops something else anyway.

So, if you’re struggling with a poor mood or outlook today, with a growing list of things to do – but simply don’t know how to begin the day, even though you’ve had a coffee, breakfast and are dressed – why not pick up a cloth and just do something.

Your brain will thank you.

Your family will thank you.

And you’ll be able to see the fruit of your effort all day long.

My advice? Put your efforts into starting something, not stopping something else. You might be surprised how easily that ‘other thing’ stops all by itself.

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