It’s January, a time for resolutions and new beginnings. After all the fun and festivities of the holidays are over, many people feel tired, irritable, or a bit down. These feelings are so common that they’re known as the January “winter blues.”. The mornings and nights are dark and at this time of the year, it can be difficult to stay focused. Fortunately, winter blues will subside on its own with the warmer, brighter days of spring. But there’s no reason you have to wait until then to feel better. Outlined below are a couple of ways to fight those January blues and make these winter weeks work for you!
It’s so easy to focus on the negative but taking stock of the positive can greatly improve our perspective and mood. Take time each morning or night to write down a list of positives or things you are grateful for. Make plans for yourself to have a better year than the previous one. These plans can include self-improvement projects, being more sociable, or helping other people who are in need. Volunteering your time to help someone else can improve mental health. Help out a local organization. Clean out your closet and donate the clothes you’ve grown out of. Put in some extra effort around the house to help out your family. Do something kind for a friend. The possibilities are endless!
Take advantage of the fact that you prefer to be inside at this time of year. Go through your hard copy files and computer files and throw out or delete anything that is no longer useful to you. You will be less overwhelmed and will feel less stressed out if you do.
When your body is craving more daylight, opening blinds and curtains, and sitting closer to windows can also help provide an extra dose of sunshine. Getting at least 20 minutes of vigorous activity four times a week has been shown to reduce depressive mood
It’s important to have a comfortable work environment, so find out where the thermostat is in your office and perhaps, more importantly, find out who controls the thermostat and make sure they keep it at a comfortable temperature for you and your colleagues.
One of the best ways to feel better is to open up and talk about how you’re doing. If you’re feeling blue or having a hard time getting motivated, talk to a friend about it. Maybe even plan a fun getaway with family and friends. Most likely, they have felt or are feeling similar and you can help each other along by trading stories and tips.
There are many strategies that you can use to help keep you feeling good even through the long, gray winter. Just look back through the above suggestions and choose a few things that you feel like you can do, and that will have the most impact on you personally. The key is to be proactive and face the blues with a plan and a winning spirit.
