It is said that Blue Monday is the saddest day of the year. Christmas is over, New Year’s celebrations have come and gone and your pocket is probably emptier than you’d like it to be. All this is usually enough to make even the happiest people a little blue without throwing a global pandemic on top of all of that. We know how you feel! If you are struggling or even feel a bit down, it’s important to be kind to yourself and to reach out to a friend or a family member if it all gets a bit too much.
To help all of us beat Blue Monday together we’ve come up with a few things that make us feel better whenever the blues set in.
Take it easy
Make sure you’re not setting unachievable goals that leave you feeling terrible when you can’t do it all. Some days we feel like we can take over the world and other times we end up doing nothing and that’s okay! Don’t be hard on yourself if you feel like you’ve done a whole lot of nothing lately, lockdown is tough and we must remember to be kind to ourselves.
Check-in with your teammates
A lack of social interaction means that it’s easy to start feeling the effects of reduced human contact, especially when you’re used to being in an office environment. Remote working can be great but it doesn’t come without its challenges; separating your work and home life, prioritising work and even overworking, to name a few. It’s important to take time to check in with your teammates, virtually – whether by call or video, a simple offer of help and guidance can go a long way. We have a great, supportive team here at Datacentreplus and our staff members are always willing to lend an ear when needed.
Stephen Hobson, Business Director, at Datacentreplus, says:
“As a company we always promote positive behaviors in our office or home working environment, encouraging staff to eat healthy and take regular breaks when needed. We as people also know it’s ok not to be ok and that we can help one another with our energy and compassion.
“I am also fully aware that sometimes people don’t feel they have anyone and whoever you are, know this is not the case. There are some great charities out there looking to help. Stay strong our kid”.
For some of us the coronavirus pandemic is having a huge impact on our mental health and there are some charities such as MIND and Samaritans who provide advice, guidance and support for when you may need it the most.
Eat right
Eating well and healthy is fundamental to good health and wellbeing, but as we know it’s way too easy and convenient to fall back on food to shake off the blues and shift your mindset to a happier place. The instant ‘feel good’ feeling from a chocolate bar is perhaps one of the most common dopamine kicks we go for – we’ve all been there, right? Consistently eating a balanced diet will help to improve mental function, mood and energy levels which can leave you feeling much more productive.
Get out and about
With the days feeling shorter and the dark nights drawing in we’re all lacking those-all important daylight hours. When it’s wet, miserable and cold the last thing most of us feel like doing is going outside but it may actually be the best thing for you! Although lockdown rules limit how far we can travel, often a short walk or form of outdoor exercise is what’s needed to clear the mind and get us back on track.
Supplements
Now, this is one a lot of people tend to overlook. Unfortunately in our modern age, no matter how great we think our diets are, we sometimes just lack certain vitamins and minerals that keep us functioning at the right levels. For example, at this time of year, we get a lot less sun here in the UK, from which we usually soak up Vitamin D through our skin. If we are not getting enough vitamin D from other sources it could lead to fatigue, bone and muscle pain and negative mood changes. Luckily for us, high-strength vitamin D supplements are aplenty this time of year at local pharmacies so don’t forget to pick yours up!
Do good to others
Do try and go out of your way today and do something nice for someone else. Just one considerate kind act could make someone’s day, and if it inspires them to do the same it may go even further. So let’s celebrate this Blue Monday, don’t buy into the blues and let’s focus on doing good for each other because as The Buddha once wisely said: “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”
