Steps to beat the January blues

Published in Magazine on 10 January 2022 by our Marketing Team

This article is over 4 years old

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is understandably a difficult time for many of us to find the motivation to plan ahead and commit to seeing through our resolutions for a healthier, happier and more productive 2022.

Given the freezing temperatures and lack of sunlight, January can be the least productive month for many of us, leading to a period of hibernation that can last until spring.

To help you overcome this, we want to focus on realistic and achievable ways you can have a more successful start to the year.

Try something new

It goes without saying that once we form comfortable habits or routines, it can be a challenge to push ourselves into trying something different.

Comfort zones are the worst for stalling development, so why not try taking up a new hobby or focus on achieving a goal?

It doesn’t have to be something wild like climbing Mount Everest, in fact, it could be as simple as baking a new cake each week to develop a skill.

Treat yourself

Life can sometimes feel as if it is going at 100mph, so it’s important to press pause and just live in the moment every once in a while.

Even something as simple as unwinding by having a warm bubble bath once a week can be the key to recharging your batteries and getting you back on track.

Explore your surroundings

Staying cooped up inside will have a negative impact on your mental as well as physical health. So, even if it’s just for a 30-minute session, try and stretch your legs outside once a day.

If you are working from home but would normally be commuting to work, use that time to take a break outside instead.

Start a new series with your loved ones

Pick something to bring the family closer and pace yourself with one or two episodes each week, if you’re able to wait that long.

There’s really nothing better than getting cosy in blankets and looking forward to the next instalment!

Set “stick-able” resolutions

Whilst it’s commendable to set ourselves high goals for the new year – such as exercising every day of the week – you need to make sure those resolutions can be met.

If you overreach, you’ll quickly burn out of motivation and fail to make any progress.

Strip it back and aim for somewhere achievable. That way, you’ll feel more fulfilled and see real change much faster, which will then incentivise you to keep going!