What is Blue Monday?
If you haven’t heard of it already, the chances are you’ve probably felt it in some way around this time of year. Blue Monday is considered to be the saddest day of the year. This is due to coming off the fresh high of Christmas and New Year into the bad January weather and long nights.
January is often the month where many have to tighten their purses for the longer time between pay checks after being paid earlier before Christmas. It is also a time when many feel the festive glut and not many have much to look forward to in terms of social occasions, holidays etc. as many are hibernating during this time.
Although ‘Blue Monday’ is specific to one day, on one day (Monday 17th January 2022 to be precise) these types of ‘Blues’ are felt by many throughout the Winter months.
Ways to help you through the Monday/Winter Blues
1. Reach out for help as early as possible – especially with things like debt or finances, or with your mental health.
2. Have a routine and set short-term goals – planning for today, tomorrow, the next week. If you have big, difficult tasks on your plate try breaking them up into chains of smaller, more manageable jobs.
3. Build in more breaks and exercise into your schedule – research has told us that walking and time in nature were the two key things that helped the nation cope with the stresses of the pandemic.
4. Look at your sleeping habits – sleep is essential for our mental health and if you are having trouble sleeping because of worry there are things you can do to improve your sleep, from relaxation to not watching TV in bed. If you find watching the news distressing, try to avoid it for a while and see if your sleep improves.
5. Plan your finances this winter – including making sure you are getting any benefits you are entitled to and getting help with any debt concerns you may have. You can also visit the Care first Lifestyle site for supportive information and budgeting tools.
6. Stay connected – The importance of staying connected to your friends, family and community is to ensure that you don’t become lonely. Feeling lonely is a normal human emotion. But, when you feel like this for long periods of time, it isn’t just unpleasant – it’s actually bad for your health. Having someone to talk to is important, so remember to pick up the phone or send that text, keep those support networks going.
7. Find time for your needs – it can be easy to serve other people at work or at home, or to fill our diaries with commitments and activities that crowd out our own needs. Whether it’s booking leave from work, shutting the bathroom door for a shower or bath away from the kids, or getting out for a run alone – find something that works for you and make it happen.
8. Make friends with cold, dark days – if you think of winter as one of the regular seasons, perhaps it could be a time for reflection and doing more things like reading, relaxing, getting warm and cosy and recharging our batteries. When the days are darker and we can’t take our mood energy boosts from socialising in the sun, it may make sense to replace this with another energy-boosting activity like exercise or a hobby like cooking. Going out when it’s dark and cold might seem unappealing, but taking a break from our screens, and getting some natural light during the day can really help our mood.
9. Give yourself a reward – it’s important to celebrate small wins – even if that’s just in your head. A win could be clearing a work task or it could just be getting up and dressed. A hot chocolate after a walk outside, a new book or even a moment of peace on the sofa are all small rewards.
More information
If you would like to view the Webinar on ‘Blue Monday’ is being delivered live on Monday 17th January at 12:00pm-12:30pm, please use the following link to register for this session – https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5936829947025817102
If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.
If you feel you may need some support, you can contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.
Please be aware that Care first is an external provider and the information in their webinars may not fully align with advice from the University on some subjects.