And just like that, the season of mince pies and twinkly lights is behind us. Christmas already feels like a distant memory (although our bank balance would argue otherwise) and January has officially set in. The temperature is bleak, the days are short and *some of us* have already broken our New Year’s resolutions (guilty!). Overall, January can be pretty meh - but MAYBE it doesn’t have to be. Stick with us…
There’s no denying that January comes with certain challenges, but that doesn’t mean that we’ll automatically have a terrible month. And actually, the more that we gaslight ourselves into believing this, the more that our anxieties can spiral out of control. Think of it as a self-fulfilling prophecy; if we dwell on the negatives, we’re more likely to have negative feelings.
The same goes for Blue Monday. Blue Monday is known as the most depressing day of the year (and you guessed it - it’s on the 20th January), but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. Let’s look at some of the factors that could contribute to us feeling down on Blue Monday and January in general:
When we start ruminating on one or more of these things, it can worsen our anxieties and leave us feeling low. BUT there are things that we can do to manage these feelings and turn our mood around. Rather than accepting the January blues, why not fight back by doing things that support your mental health instead?
How to manage the January blues
When we’re feeling rubbish, it can help to make time for self-care and get into a routine that supports our wellbeing. Self-care can be anything that prioritises our physical and mental health (AKA activities that make us feel relaxed or energised, depending on what we need, or setting boundaries to prevent ourselves from becoming burnt out, physically or emotionally).
Here are some ideas that might help you to get out of a funk after the holidays, but remember, if your mental health symptoms are severe or persistent, get advice from a health professional.
First thing’s first. If you experience mental health symptoms during specific seasons, you might have seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a recurrent depressive disorder, and most people who experience it have symptoms during the winter months. Find out more about SAD and how to manage it here.
Here are some key ones to include:
Do you ever find that you’re harder on yourself than you would be on anyone else? Often, we forget to extend the kindness and compassion that we show our loved ones to ourselves, even though our relationship with ourselves is arguably the most important.
Our internal voice can have a direct impact on our mental health, so it’s really important that we speak to ourselves kindly, especially if we’re struggling. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself, give yourself time to adjust, listen to your needs and administer self-care regularly.
During December, you might have been really busy with festive occasions with your friends and family. While that’s lovely, it can make January feel a little bit quiet in comparison. Instead of accepting that people ‘just aren’t around’ in January, why not make some social plans? You don’t have to do anything expensive; you could go for a walk, invite them over for a coffee or have a video call.
If you’re struggling with the January blues or your mental health in general, it can really help to talk to your loved ones about what you’re going through. There’s a good feeling that comes with getting something out in the open and they might be able to give you some advice and support you.
How do you feel after spending time on social media? It’s an important question to ask ourselves. While social media can help us to stay connected with people (and who doesn’t love a cute cat video?) it can also cause us to compare ourselves.
Remember, social media is a highlight reel where people only tend to share their positive news, but if you feel down after going online, you might want to cut back on how much time you spend on the apps. Instead, try meeting up with people in-person or talking over the phone.
Schedule something to look forward to in your calendar. Knowing that fun plans are on the horizon can really help you to power through the January slog. The plans can be big, small or a mixture! You could go for dinner with a friend, join a sports team, go to the cinema or book a holiday. As long as you find it fun, it will help you to feel more positive.
If you think that you might be struggling with anxiety or depression, it’s a good idea to seek support. You can talk to your GP about what help is available, or you could refer yourself for talking therapy with ieso. We offer online CBT, which is proven to be very effective at treating common mental health issues, like depression and anxiety. You can find out more about that here.
Mental health affects us all. This means it's essential that mental health services are equally available to everyone, everywhere. This World Mental Health Day, 10th October, we explore the right to access care.
This week is National Work Life Week, a campaign led by the charity, Working Families, to get people talking about wellbeing at work and work-life balance.
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