It’s January in New England, and things can look pretty gray inside and out. Mental health experts agree that your best remedies are exercise, socializing with friends, and being exposed to plenty of light.
A British travel agency in 2005 claimed that the third Monday of this month was the most depressing day of the year. Now, those folks were trying to book vacations, and caregivers know that clinical depression doesn’t observe special holidays, but this is still a perfect time to address your winter blues.
At this time of year, pressures are mounting from post-holiday bills and the general letdown after the end-of-the-year rush. Some of your New Year’s resolutions may be discouragingly slow to materialize. And how about that blizzard on the way and those aches and pains from an impending cold? You might help yourself through the roller coaster ride by planning activities with friends, taking up a new hobby, and looking for fresh air and sunshine anytime they are available. And how about lifting your head from your computer screen to say hi to colleagues or phone business associates instead of emailing?
Don Thibert, the director of academic affairs across some seven Ontario college campuses, helped run a three-year survey that highlighted economic and job woes as the top two causes of the blues, accounting for over half of first-place responses. Nearly 75 % of those surveyed reported at least occasional bouts of workplace blues, up 11 % across the three years. So you’re not alone if your on-the-job batteries are drained right now – get out there and talk about it with your buddies, or take up something completely new you’ve always been meaning to do! It’s all about balance, right?
For the longer term, if you think your job is stressing you out a lot, and not just this January, Thibert suggests keeping a journal in which you rate each workday for a month from 1 (completely unbearable) to 10 (euphorically great). “If you’re coming in 6 or lower, you might really want to start taking a hard look at a career change,” he suggests.
You can read details on the study at