Typically falling on the third Monday in January, Blue Monday is often said to be the most depressing day of the year.
However, its important to know that the idea actually came about in the mid-naughties when a travel company alleged to have identified the third Monday of January as the most depressing day of the year.
'Blue Monday' for all those north of the equator was the result of a complicated scientific calculation. It has been disputed since as nonsensical pseudoscience.
Despite this, however, this time of year does tend to be tricky. The joys of the festive period have faded, the weather is awful (at least in the northern hemisphere), our New Year resolutions have probably already failed and we’re unlikely to have any holidays coming up any time soon – the latter is especially true this year, of course.
There’s no need to surrender completely to the gloom, however. There are lots of things you can do to bring a bit of brightness during dark times.
Here are some simple ways to boost your mood on Blue Monday…
1. Head outdoors
It may be chilly outside, but a brisk walk and a blast of sunlight (even the weak winter kind) is preferable to being cooped up indoors all day.
2. Put on some tunes
Do you check the headlines first thing in the morning? Try playing some uplifting tunes, crank up the volume and belt your heart out in the shower, before you start the day.
3. Try a new challenge
If you’ve yet to discover the joys of a TikTok dance challenge, now’s your chance. Get the whole family involved or film your 'outfit of the day' with a style savvy friend. Join a new gym class, take up a new hobby, or simply challenge yourself to read some best-sellers - the novelty is sure to give you a boost.
4. Discover a new podcast
Even regular podcast listeners can get bored of having the same shows on rotation – finding a new favourite to binge is delightful.
Our top picks include My Year in Mensa, in which Jamie Loftus chronicles her experience of the high IQ society; hilarious celeb interviews on SmartLess, hosted by comedy kings Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes; and Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations, which includes fascinating interviews from Winfrey’s vast TV talk show archive.
While you're at it, RTÉ has a whole host of great podcasts on offer including Beo Ar Éigean, Insights with Sean O'Rourke, and Sinéad Quinlan's Thing Quizzy.
5. Try a new recipe
Have a flick through your old cookbooks or browse online to find a new recipe you haven’t tried before. It could be a yummy pasta dish, a hearty soup or a batch of super-easy one-pot wonders that fills your kitchen with a wonderful aroma.
6. Do a good deed
As much as we all love indulging in fun and feel-good pastimes, it’s well known that you can actually reap huge emotional rewards by partaking in a good deed.
It doesn’t have to be something big. Ringing a friend who you know has been having tough time, sending a little gift in the post to a loved one, or sharing some of those cookies you baked with your neighbours.
7. Plan something fun for the future
Arguably there are two types of pleasure: anticipatory (when you derive joy from looking forward to something) and consummatory (when you actually do the thing you’ve been looking forward to).
Bring some anticipatory pleasure into your life by making plans for the future, even if they’re a long way off. You could book a week of annual leave from work, put a date in the diary for a walk with a friend or pre-order some of the big novels coming out this year; it’ll be a nice gift to yourself when they eventually come through the letterbox.
8. Treat it like a Friday night
Instead of compiling a life admin to-do list like you usually would on a Monday, pretend it’s the weekend instead. Forget the chores, get your favourite takeaway, and watch your favourite movie.
9. Laugh out loud
Laughter is, as they say, the best medicine, so get on the phone to the one person who’s guaranteed to crack you up or watch a comedy special on Netflix from the likes of Daniel Sloss, Ronny Chieng, or Taylor Tomlison.
Or head over to the RTÉ Player to check out their latest comedy films and boxsets including The Dry, Obituary, The Sex Lives of College Girls, and Colin From Accounts.
10. Have a bubble bath
Sink into a soothing bath to feel your worries (and muscle knots) melt away. Take the time to create the perfect set-up with candles, bubble bath or a fizzing bath bomb, relaxing music and your choice of beverage. Most importantly, make sure no one is going to disturb your tub time.
11. Sleep in fresh sheets
There’s something so wonderful about slipping between freshly laundered sheets at the end of a long day. Add fresh PJs to the mix and you’ve got the perfect final treat to round off your (not so) Blue Monday.
