5 Ways to Boost Wellbeing on Blue Monday

Like the famous New Order song (we’re showing our age here!), Blue Monday is here again.

If you’re unfamiliar with this not-so-popular day, Blue Monday is the name given to the third Monday of January and is said to be the gloomiest day of the year. But why has this random Monday in January been given this saddening title? 

History of Blue Monday

Like most national days, Blue Monday was the child of a PR campaign. Based on Dr. Cliff Arnall’s theory of the third Monday in January being the saddest, this PR campaign has now become a recognised day!  

This day’s reputation has been supposedly calculated on weather conditions, debt level, time since Christmas, time since failing new year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and the feeling of a need to take control of life. 

Nevertheless, don’t let this supposedly depressing date get you down! Blue Monday is just a state of mind and it can easily be prevented with the action of the right steps that’ll not only boost your mood but will get you moving and talking. 

5 Ways to Boost your Mental Health on Blue Monday 

There are many ways to boost your mental health but here are our top tips on making sure you don’t let the blues of Blue Monday take hold and negatively impact your mental health!

1. Journal! 

Not just for this recognised wellbeing day, but for the whole year, journaling can keep your mind occupied whilst you record your feelings. 

A product like a wellness journal is great because it has a variety of resources to support tracking and maintaining a healthy wellbeing. With a range of pages for self-reflection and daily planning, a personal wellbeing focused journal can put thoughts and feelings on paper and out of your mind.

2. Stay Social!

Unlike the name says, sometimes social media isn’t so social. The best form of social interaction is in person. Having a face-to-face meeting with a friend, colleague or group is great for mental health because it increases a sense of belonging and purpose whilst improving self-confidence and self-worth. 

Why not have lunch with a colleague or a walk with a friend? 

3. Exercise!

Whether exercising more is your new year’s resolution or you just want something to get your endorphins flowing, any physical activity is great! From a gentle walk to a 5k run, all intensity-level workouts can boost your mood. 

Exercise makes you feel good because it increases the production of your brain’s ‘feel good’ neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Any activity that gets you moving can contribute to this happy feeling. 

Physical activity will help set goals, reduce stress, give a natural energy boost, and a sense of achievement. 

4. Get Outside!

In January, we know it’s not always the best weather to be outside in, but being out in the open can really boost your mood. 

Spending time in natural, green spaces, like exercise, can improve both your physical and mental health. Mental Health charity Mind, suggests that nature helps mental health because of the combination of physical activity and the social contact of being with nature.

5. Eat the Right Food!

The Mental Health Foundation suggests that there is a link between the way we eat and the way we feel. Post-Christmas guilt can be common, but overindulging over the Christmas period is easily done, so don’t let it take control of your wellbeing. 

If you’re feeling guilty and want to take hold of your diet this new year then why not consider adding mind-nourishing foods? Simple foods and drinks like fruits and vegetables (5 a day), water and proteins (eggs, cheese, fish, and lean meats) are just basic diet replacements that’ll make you see an improvement in your physical and mental health. 

Although if you want to have a chocolate bar from time to time, don’t let that make you feel guilty. It’s all about doing what’s right for you! 

Wellbeing at Allwag

At Allwag, our wellness programme ensures that there is always support for our team. With our holistic approach to wellbeing, everyone is encouraged to eat well with free fresh fruit, have daily walks to get fresh air, take advantage of available regular training, and speak to each other and our dedicated wellbeing ambassadors, as well as being supported by both Vitality Private Healthcare and Sage Employee benefits, both of them have online GP’s, counselling services and wellbeing apps. All these factors account towards Allwag being an Investors in People Platinum employer. 

We also offer activities like wellbeing bingo and step challenges.  Our bingo is a team favourite with the goal of completing each wellness focused task on the board. There’re activities such as “do breathing exercises” and “drink only water for a day”! Why not offer this to your team and see how many activities they can tick off? 

If you’d like to see how we implement these acts of wellbeing amongst our Team at Allwag, please follow us on social media!