Five tips to avoid the Blue Monday blues

Five tips to avoid the Blue Monday blues

It’s officially the most depressing day of the year. So how do you keep the glums at bay on Blue Monday and beyond?

By Lizzie Fletcher

The third Monday of January is officially the most depressing day of the year. It is gloomily referred to as Blue Monday and its sombre mood has been calculated using an equation.

    Since January is a long, hard month, it’s fair to assume we’ll all be feeling a bit blue on the 18th.  

The formula takes several factors into account, including weather conditions, debt level, time since Christmas, failed New Year’s resolutions and low levels of motivation.

This year, Blue Monday falls on 18 January. And although the Blue Monday calculus has now been debunked (the whole thing turned out to be a PR stunt cooked up by Sky Travel), Monday is universally acknowledged as the week’s most tiresome day.

Since January is a long, hard month, it’s fair to assume we’ll all be feeling a bit blue on the 18th. At this particular point in the month, many feel a little defeated. Perhaps we’re struggling to maintain a positive mental attitude.

But never fear, because help is at hand. To help you beat the Blue Monday blues, here are five mood-lifting tips, helping you on your way to a happier and healthier spring.

Keep active - Just Recruitment1. Keep Active

While it is tempting to stay curled up on the sofa throughout January, exercise plays an important role in boosting our mood. When we exercise, our brain releases chemicals that make us feel good and reduce stress.

You don’t need to run a marathon or spend hours in the gym. Research suggests that low to moderate intensity exercise is best for managing stress, with walking and yoga being especially popular options.

2. Eat Healthily

When you aren’t feeling great, it’s easy to turn to comforting food to lift your spirits.

But while there is nothing wrong with treating yourself once in a while, a diet made up of junk and convenience food is likely to do you more harm than good.

Studies suggest that eating more fruit and vegetables makes you feel better. Stay conscious of what you are eating, and make an effort to incorporate healthier foods into your everyday diet.

    Mental health issues, including depression, are strongly linked to poor sleep quality and sleeping disorders.  

3. Catch some zeds

A good night’s sleep is vital to remaining healthy. According to experts, it is just as important as exercising and eating well.

Mental health issues, including depression, are strongly linked to poor sleep quality and sleeping disorders.

It is easy to fall into a poor sleeping pattern, so try to regulate it as much as possible. Give yourself a set bedtime, and try to minimise screen time (phone and TV) in the hour before you fall asleep.

Set an alarm at a reasonable time in the morning, and try to ensure you are getting around eight hours of sleep per night. If you find that you struggle to nod off, try reading or meditation before turning in for the night.

4. Limit Alcohol

A stressful day at work can have you reaching for the bottle. But if you are already feeling down, alcohol is likely to make you feel a whole lot worse.

Drinking too much interferes with the neurotransmitters in your brain, so can have a real impact on your mental health. Cutting back on the booze (or even quitting completely) has a positive impact on how you think and feel.

If you’re worried that you or someone you know may be drinking too much, or using alcohol as a coping mechanism, you can find plenty of information and advice at Drinkaware.

Talk Things Through - Just Recruitment5. Talk Things Through

We all know that social interaction is important to human happiness. So make time to speak to those around you.

When we feel down, it can often seem as if no one understands or recognises what we are going through. Communication is really important, and opening up to someone – a colleague, friend or even a counsellor ­– can really help to make sense of our feelings and thoughts.

Sharing how you feel is hugely helpful. You may discover that other people feel a similar way. This can play a crucial role in alleviating feelings of isolation and loneliness.

To find more advice on mental health and wellbeing, visit Mind: a leading source of insight, help and information.

 

© Copyright 2021 Just Recruitment Group Ltd

Published: 18 January 2021

If you enjoyed this article, you may like: Six ways to keep your New Year’s resolutions alive

You may also enjoy: Just on mental health and wellbeing

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Customer Services Executive
Sector: Customer Service
Salary: Discussed on application
Location: Sudbury, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: TB14
About the role

Just Recruitment is recruiting for a Customer Services Executive for a manufacturer based in Sudbury, Suffolk.

As a Customer Services Executive, you will play a key role within the sales and marketing team — delivering exceptional service to both new and existing customers while managing ongoing accounts.

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Key responsibilities include:

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Role requirements include:

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  • You will be based at the Sudbury office, with occasional requirements for site and customer visits

Skills and qualifications to include:

  • A highly capable person with strong planning and scheduling skills
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  • An independent person with good organisation and planning skills, who is capable of objectively assessing and improving their own and the department’s performance
  • Must be reliable, tolerant, and be able to work under pressure. The ability to be professional at all times and represent the company in a professional manner is a prerequisite
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Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

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Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

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Procurement Manager
Sector: Purchasing and Merchandising
Salary: Discussed on application
Location: Sudbury, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: TB11
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Just Recruitment is working with a growing manufacturing business based on the outskirts of Sudbury, in the search for a talented Procurement Manager to join their expanding team.

Required skills and qualifications:

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This role includes direct line management of a Procurement Specialist, supporting their development and day-to-day activity management.

Key duties include:

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Build and nurture key working relationships with Production, Quality Assurance, Finance, Warehousing, Sales and Commercial Teams, Suppliers, Logistics Providers and Regulatory Bodies.

This is an excellent opportunity to drive change within a business — offering a great working environment.

Working hours for this role are Monday to Friday, 8am - 5pm, although some flexibility is required.

Please note that due to the location of the business, you must have access to your own transport.

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

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Hybrid working will be available after successful completion of the probationary period (min. of 3 days in the office, up to 2 days at home).

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

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Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

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