Don’t let the January blues get you down, we have some top tips for keeping morale high and your motivation thriving!
Monday 18th January 2021 is Blue Monday, a day named as the supposed most depressing day of the year. But who says we have to agree? A day like any other, we can choose to see the silver linings, boost our mindset and power through with positivity. Here is our best advice for beating Blue Monday.
Top tips for a positive mindset:
- Set yourself small, achievable goals
- Try to find the positive in any situation
- Practise gratitude
- Make self-care a priority
- Allow yourself flexibility
- Find a way to connect with someone
According to a study conducted by Scranton University, only 19% of people manage to follow through on their New Year’s resolutions, most of which are abandoned by mid-January. You may find your motivation for your newly set goals is waning and you are in need of a boost to keep you on the right track – we are here to help! Applying these principles in your day can make all the difference in your mindset.
Set yourself small, achievable goals
I am sure we can all agree, it feels good to achieve your goals and accomplish something you set your mind to. Infectious, even! Once you have one goal under your belt, you want to move onto the next, and the next. By setting yourself small, achievable goals that you can undertake each day, you can help yourself to build momentum and motivation to drive yourself into your next task. If you like to visualise these goals, writing them down so you can tick them off can be a great way to signify your progress – and they don’t have to be momentous goals either. Your list could read:
- Make my bed
- Go for a 30 minute walk
- Reorganise kitchen cupboard
The tasks on your list don’t matter, as long as you are able to cross them off and feel productive!
Find the positive in any situation
If you are not in the habit of seeing things from a glass half-full perspective then this one can take some practise, but it is well worth it. Over time, you can train yourself to view events around you from a more positive perspective, or at least to see the upside in a situation. For example, Blue Monday was coined so due to the culmination of a number of factors, such as cold weather, possible financial instability and the natural decline of energy after the festive period. But it is equally important to remember that this day is likely the result of a PR ploy to sell holidays, and there is nothing deeply negative about this day at all. You can choose to organise a fun activity or treat for yourself instead to flip this day on it’s head!
Practise gratitude
Gratitude journaling and actively practising feeling grateful for the things that happen in your day-to-day life can be a great way to reinforce a positive attitude to keep you motivated. This can have a domino effect on those around you as well, as you notice the little things that each of you do to help one another, acknowledge and appreciate them – gratitude and kindness can spread like wildfire!
Make self-care a priority
In a busy life – especially one where you are not the only person you need to care for – it is easy to forget to take the all important time to look after yourself. During the colder months, it is common to feel a little run down and low energy, but you can use this as an opportunity to cosy up indoors under a blanket and read that book you have been meaning to read for months, or have that relaxing bath you have been craving. No matter what self-care means to you, carve out some time in your day to focus on you. Relax, recharge and then come back stronger than ever!
Allow yourself some flexibility
Although it is frustrating when a well formulated plan doesn’t come together as you expected, it is equally important to remember that life is life, and often plans are scuppered by circumstances outwith your control. It can be a liberating experience to lean into these uncertainties from time to time. Allow yourself to be flexible and adapt as new obstacles present themselves rather than getting bogged down in the irritations of unforeseen changes. This flexibility extends to how you treat yourself, both in body and mind. There will be days when you had planned to complete a particular task, but you won’t feel the energy to see it through – and guess what? That is okay! Offer yourself some compassion, listen to what your body is telling you and be flexible with your plans.
Find a way to connect with someone
Whether it be in person or virtually, human connection is crucial to maintaining perspective and can make all the difference in creating a happy and fulfilled mind. And there are endless ways to connect and communicate with other people, whether you write someone a letter, give them a phone, or even leave someone a message in the steamed up mirror after a shower.
The Samaritans realise the importance of connection for mental health and a positive mindset, which is why they began their ‘Brew Monday’ initiative to help beat loneliness at this time of year – swapping Blue Monday for a day when you share a cuppa with someone and have a chat! So jump on Zoom, organise your flask for a walk or put on the kettle to enjoy a cup with someone and connect!
You have the power
While our mood will likely be impacted by what is going on around us and will fluctuate each day, we do have the power to decide how we want to approach each day. Of course, it is perfectly normal and acceptable to have days where we don’t feel ourselves, or up for taking on new challenges. However, it is empowering to know that we can choose to see the positives in life which can influence our outlook and mindset.
An entrepreneur and former senior oil broker, Ruari gave up drinking after excessive consumption almost cost him his marriage, and worse, his life. Going alcohol-free improved his relationships, career and energy levels, leading to him founding OYNB to provide a support network for others.
