HALT: Get Your Day Back on Track

My senior year in high school I had a teacher who often took his "teacher hat off" to give us life advice and help us to become men. One day he told us about HALT, and it has become a tool I regularly use to this day.

He explained that when we are having a tough day and feeling a little "off," we should HALT and ask, "Am I ..."

Hungry

Angry

Lonely

Tired

Almost every time that I am not in a good mood, I can trace it back to one of these four things. 

If I am hungry, I can go eat and fix my mood. If I am tired, I can sleep and fix my mood. If I am lonely, I can call someone, grab a meal with a friend, or plan an event for later in the week. Depending on what I am angry about, I may or may not be able to immediately solve the issue. However, I will at least be able to trace my bad mood to it, and if it is insignificant, I can make the choice not to let it ruin my day. If it is a bigger issue, I can at least compartmentalize it, try not to let it invade all my thoughts, and plan a time to deal with it.

This method has been incredibly helpful for me to take control of my life and not get overwhelmed by bad moods, which leads to more enjoyable and productive days. This may not work for everyone, but I would encourage you to take a moment to HALT and see if it leads to happier days for you.

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