How to Recover When You Feel Like Sh*t

Feel Like Sh*t? Try This Framework to Get Back on Track

(Simple tools for when everything feels off)

There are days when you just don’t feel like yourself. You’re tired, irritable, heavy, stiff — or some mix of it all — and it’s hard to know what to do about it. You’re not necessarily sick, but you’re definitely not functioning at full capacity either.

The challenge isn’t always that you feel off — it’s that you don’t know what kind of off it is. That’s where this framework can really help.

The S.H.I.T. Recovery Framework, originally shared by performance coach Dr. Peter Tierney, offers a simple way to check in with your body and adjust accordingly. It stands for:

• S – Stiff

• H – Heavy

• I – Irritable

• T – Tired

Each letter represents a type of physical or mental fatigue, and each one comes with straightforward ways to respond.

S – Stiff

Tension in your muscles, joints that feel stuck, body just not moving like it usually does.
You might need:

• Gentle stretching or yoga

• A short walk

• A warm bath or shower

• Foam rolling or massage

H – Heavy

You’re slow, low-energy, or mentally foggy.
You might need:

• Something light to eat or drink

• Fresh air or sunshine

• A few minutes of low-intensity movement

• Water (with electrolytes if needed)

I – Irritable

You’re short-tempered, overstimulated, or snapping at people.
You might need:

• Time alone

• A short breathing exercise

• A change of environment (get outside if possible)

• A mental break from screens or noise

Doing this with a friend or roommate? Communicate that you’re feeling this way so they don’t take it personally.

T – Tired

Not just sleepy — drained.
You might need:

• A power nap

• Less stimulation (turn off the noise, lower the lights)

• An early night

• A shift in your schedule or training plan

This isn’t laziness. It’s information.

What if you feel more than one?

That’s common. You might be stiff from a tough workout, tired from poor sleep, and irritable from staring at a screen too long. You can mix and match what you need:

• Stiff + tired = go easy, stretch, rest.

• Irritable + heavy = movement, food, space.
  If you check off all four? Scale back. Cancel what you can. You don’t need to “push through” everything.

If you’re ticking all four boxes, it’s probably time to scale back and give yourself a real break.

Why this is helpful

• It gives you language for what kind of off-day you’re having.
  Feeling tired is very different than feeling irritable, but we tend to lump everything together and just say “ugh.” S.H.I.T. helps you quickly identify what’s really going on, which is the first step in doing something useful about it.

• It offers specific responses to specific symptoms.
  Instead of scrolling through endless articles about “10 ways to feel better,” you identify one letter and take one tailored action. That precision makes it more effective — and more motivating.

• It allows for combinations — which reflect real life.
  Most people feel more than one of these at once. The framework acknowledges that and encourages you to combine strategies (which not all systems do).

Let’s make this useful:

Bookmark this post or save the S.H.I.T. letters somewhere visible. Next time you’re having one of those days, try running through them before automatically canceling plans, skipping your workout, or zoning out on your phone.

And if you try it—I'd love to hear how it worked for you. Leave a comment, or send a message and tell me what letter you’ve been feeling most lately.