Many people return to work in January, after the Christmas break, feeling the Winter blues.
Winter time can be a particularly difficult time for people with many experiencing seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is when the decrease in sunlight leads to certain neuro chemical changes which often leads to feelings of sadness and sometimes depression. Everyone can understand that. This sense, is something we can all feel to some extent and that generally when the sun shines we are more inclined to want to leave the house, go out and do enjoyable things and be with people. When it is dark and miserable, people want to shut themselves away and part of that is a lowering of mood.
Here are a few ways you can beat the Winter blues:
Get out and about to beat the Winter blues
Firstly, be prepared and plan, knowing that you may be feeling low. Plan to get out and don’t lock yourself away. Plan things to do that take you out of your home. How about?:
– Planning a nice walk in the countryside fresh air.
– Booking to see a show or a concert.
– Go to that restaurant or cafe that has been on your list to try.
Light Therapy
Many who experience SAD, invest in a light box which triggers daylight and provides the correct type of light in the darker months that would not normally be present.
Additionally, if you prefer waking up gradually to the sunrise in the brighter months, you could buy an alarm clock that has this feature. Growing in popularity over the recent years, these are great to keep that structure and healthy sleep routine.
Exercise
Engage in activities and don’t hide yourself away to mitigate negative feelings. Exercise can be a super way to distract yourself from the dark days and the Winter blues. Exercise improves mood and elevates your mood always. Get out and walk / run, head to the gym with a friend, or make the most of the New Year and try a new sport.
Recently, one of our team at Eventus Recruitment started to play netball again in a friendly league. From this, even as it has got darker and colder, there is motivation for them to get out, see people, interact, and exercise all in one. Give your pre-loved sport a go again!
Talk about Mental Health
The Office for National Statistics Labour Force Survey reported that in 2023 / 24, an estimated 33.7 million working days were lost due to work-related ill health and non-fatal workplace injuries, with 16.4 million being stress, depression or anxiety related (HSE). There is still stigma surrounding mental health which leads many employees to lie about their reason for absence. Businesses should ensure employees feel comfortable discussing mental health matters and support employees if they need time to focus on their mental health. With the right support, this is one small step towards tackling the Winter blues, and the wider problem of mental health.
If you are an employer that would like to improve your mental health focus in your workplace, take a read of our blogs below on what you can implement in order to do better. Also, if you are an employee these blogs will give you ideas of what your employer can offer to support your mental health, so you know what to look out for.
Employee Assistance Programme
Many organisations pay for an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). EAPs provide a confidential workplace service for employees. The service provides support for mental health matters by combining in-person, online and over-the-phone support services like counselling and health advice. EAP helps employees deal with work-life stressors, family issues, financial concerns, relationship problems, and even drug or legal concerns.
In addition, private healthcare policies that some employers offer now also includes support for Mental Health.
Meet up with friends and family to ease the Winter blues
When you have the Winter blues, quite often feelings of loneliness and boredom can kick in. These feelings are especially prevalent in January when everything quietens down after the festive season. As a result, arrange some meet-ups with friends or family, even if it’s just for a drink. Getting out and seeing people will boost your mood.
Make plans for annual leave
Commuting to and from work in the dark can add to the Winter blues. Quite often it can seem like we don’t see much daylight when working during winter. As a result, making plans with our annual leave can give us a much-needed pick-me-up. Whether it’s a holiday to warmer climates, a city break or a day-off to binge boxsets or participate in a hobby, it will give you something to look forward to.
In addition, if you don’t see much daylight during winter, the NHS recommends taking Vitamin D. Vitamin D comes from the sun, which we know we don’t get much of in the UK, as well as eating Vitamin D rich foods, such as fish. On the NHS website, they suggest that all adults should consider taking a daily Vitamin D supplement a day in autumn and winter. Research suggests that low Vitamin D levels can contribute to feelings of anxiety and depression.
Goal Setting
Goal setting is great all year around but is particularly motivational when it’s gloomy outside. This is because you have given yourself purpose, and something to work towards. Set aside some time to think about what you want to achieve this coming year, be that in your professional or personal life. How will you achieve these things? When do you want to achieve them by? Constantly reflecting on these goals throughout the darker times and thinking about how you are putting your best foot forwards to achieve them will inspire you to push yourself to success, creating more happiness in yourself.
Also, break your goals into smaller steps. This can reduce feelings of being overwhelmed if they feel out of reach. Remember, celebrate your progress, no matter how small it may be.
Think Long-term and SMART Goals for Success
Defining your goals using SMART will help you be realistic and think about the long term. Be realistic about where you are in your career and what you can expect to achieve in 12 months. The Eventus Recruitment Group offers free careers consultations. Please contact us to arrange a consultation. You may have ideas for your career or job plans, but not know how to achieve them. This is where we can help.
Break your goals down using SMART objectives to ensure they are achievable:
Specific: Relates to an objective having a clearly defined /achievable purpose in mapping to a given goal.
Measurable: Relates to a measurement / metric that enables progress to be measured towards attaining the goal.
Achievable: Relates to ensuring that the measured goal is actually achievable – in practice – rather than simply in theory.
Relevant: Refers to the relevancy / realisticness of the goal to you (different goals may well have different priorities).
Time-frame: Relates to the time frame that has been set in achieving a given goal. For example, is a given goal achievable within the specified time-frame.
An example of a SMART career goal in relation to leadership development is: “By the end of the year, I want to have built my leadership skills by immersing myself in new work-situations, where I will develop in cross-departmental working, strategic planning and mentoring – and have at least 2 more senior people recognise my growth as a leader in the company.
Work-life Balance
Similar to the above regarding making plans for annual leave, ensure you are working in a role that allows you to have the work-life balance you desire. Make sure you have plans pencilled in the calendar, whether that is before / after work, or by using your annual leave to have something to look forward to.
Mindfulness
When you are feeling low, trying a mindfulness flow, such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing to combat the Winter blues. These can help you to reset, put your mind at ease, and re-energise. Journaling is also a great habit to get into. Being able to write down your thoughts, feelings, and emotions at the end of the day or week can help you reflect. Perhaps you haven’t had as bad of a day as you thought you did! If you are on your mental health journey, it is also a great way to track your progress and to see how far you have come along.
Our Job and the Winter blues
We spend so much time at work, and as a result our jobs can impact our mental health, making the Winter blues worse. If your job is getting you down and your employer can’t make any reasonable adjustments, it could be time to move on. We are specialist recruitment consultants, who offer advice and support at every stage of the job search process to professionals in Law, Finance and Financial Planning.
Take a look at some of our resources below that could help with your job search if you feel it’s time to move on:
Conclusion
Winter definitely isn’t easy, but by following these steps you are on your way to making it a better time to enjoy. Embrace the season as it only comes around once a year, and whilst better days may be coming, don’t waste your days wishing for brighter months. Progress can be made during any time of the year. Importantly, focus on yourself and use it as a time to slow down, reflect, and install good habits into your routine.
If you would like help on strategies to implement to help your employees during the winter months, please don’t hesitate to contact us for advice. Strengthening this aspect of your company will only enhance your recruitment strategy and make you more attractive to job seekers.
Alternatively, if you are looking for a new role where your needs will be truly taken care of, get in touch with us to see how we can find you your perfect role. We are specialists in legal, finance and financial planning recruitment, connecting professionals with like-minded companies.
