Not So Happy New Year? Beating the January Blues.
January 4, 2019 by Staff
Filed under Health, Money/Business, Weekly Columns
(Akiit.com) At the strike of midnight on the new year, most of us couldn’t be more excited. Fireworks explode, drinks are raised and songs are sung, welcoming in the year ahead. In that moment, we can be filled with so much promise and hope as to what lies ahead. However, after the celebrations die down, the reality tends to be a lot different. January is well known for being a month of the blues, with conditions like seasonal affective disorder at an all time high, depression, it’s even been shown that couples are more likely to break up in this month over any other. After a month of festivities, excitement, celebrations and indulgence, getting back to reality just isn’t any fun. Not to mention that most people are spent out, dieting and aren’t able to do the things they love due to the bad weather. If you find yourself struggling at the start of each year, here are a few productive ways you can help to beat the blues, and put yourself on the best path for a great year.
Get your finances in order
Christmas is an expensive time- due to its commercial nature, there’s a lot of pressure on us to spend lots of money and make things perfect for our loved ones. However, this can mean that come January, we’re behind on bills or even have debts that we need to pay off. Spend some time getting everything in order, work out what you owe and what repayments you’ll need to make to get things paid as quickly as you can. Find ways to save money within your budget, 
are there any digital subscriptions or extra things you’re paying for that you don’t use often. You don’t want to strip away every luxury you have or you really will be left feeling blue this month, but be realistic. Do you really need that Amazon Prime membership now that Christmas is over? Could you save on your grocery bill by making more of your own meals and relying less on convenience foods? Once your finances are sorted, you’ll feel so much better and everything will be much more manageable. It’s not nice knowing you have things to pay off, but at least knowing how much you need to pay and that you can afford it is helpful.
Focus on health
Lots of people make the mistake at the start of the year of going on a strict diet. They give up everything they like, and spend the month feeling hungry and deprived. It’s just not sustainable and is a quick way to make you feel rubbish! After an indulgent December a new year’s health kick is no bad thing, however you should go about things in the right way. Make sure you’re eating a balanced diet, and that you’re not limiting calories too much. If you do, you’ll end up experiencing extreme hunger which can lead to binge eating. Look on Pinterest and in recipe books for delicious, healthy meals. Find sports and activities you genuinely enjoy, that way working out won’t feel like a chore. It could be swimming, yoga, trampolining, a team sport, anything you like. Drink enough water, get enough sleep, if you use a fitness tracker like a Fitbit it can help you to stay on track and show you exactly what you’ve managed to achieve.
Find indoor activities
During the warmer months, it’s so easy to find things to do. We tend to be less bored as on a sunny day, we can lace up our walking shoes and go on a hike, we can go for a picnic in the park, have a barbeque or go on a daytrip to somewhere with pretty scenery. When it’s freezing cold and it’s dark at 4pm with gale force winds, it’s impossible to enjoy the outdoors in the same way. For this reason, it’s important to find fun, indoor activities to keep you occupied during your free time. You could join a class, from art to pottery to floristry. You could go to the cinema, go bowling or ice skating. You could just go window shopping in your favourite shopping centre if you’re on a budget. If you’re a bit of a foodie, why not test out some of the local eateries you’ve had on your to-do list. It doesn’t have to affect your healthy eating plan- if you eat healthily during the week you can easily fit a treat meal into your caloric intake.
Otherwise you could look at healthier options on the menu. Another thing you could do if you’re feeling productive would be to take on some study. Take this rn bsn online course for example- since it’s done online you wouldn’t even need to leave the house. It’s a way to improve your knowledge, skills and job prospects while also keeping you busy at a quiet time of year. Having a few places to go to when the weather is cold that will keep you entertained can give you things to do and keep your spirits up over the colder months.
Plan a trip
January can feel like it stretches on forever. February isn’t much better, and it can feel like an eternity until the spring and nicer weather resurfaces. One way to give yourself some motivation and to make the hard work during these months feel worth it is to plan a trip. It can be your summer holiday, or just a smaller mini break to a place you’ve always wanted to go. Either way, it gives you something to look forward to. If you’re able to plan a trip before the springtime then even better, it’s something to break up these dull few months. But even having something in mind can make everything more bearable this time of year.
See family
Chances are, when you met up with family at Christmas you all declared ‘we must meet up more!’, however, plans fall by the wayside and you fall back into your normal routines. Don’t let that happen this year, make time for the people who matter. Invite them over for a dinner party or arrange something to do together. Spending time in the company of those you care about will always give your mood a lift.
Staff Writer; Cory Brown