It’s January. Christmas is over, New Year’s Eve is over and quite possibly the worst month of the year has arrived. The weather is bleak, the whole world seems a little grey and you might be feeling a bit blue. No fear – you’re not alone and there’s plenty of small solutions to lift your mood and get you ready to face the new year.
Exercise
I know this the kind of advice that you’ll get from your mum, but she really is right. You don’t have to spend hours in the gym or run miles if that’s not your thing; a quick walk will do the trick plus you get the added bonus of fresh air. This clears your mind and it is scientifically proven that exercising produces endorphins that will make you feel 10x more positive about life. It’ll also help you to sleep significantly better and then as a result, the next day you’ll be feeling energised and ready to face the day. It’s a cycle of goodness!
Eat well
eating a bit more fruit and introducing more greenery into your meals will leave you feeling fresh, healthier and overall, happier
This isn’t about crazy dieting to lose weight or completely cutting out ‘bad’ foods – one Domino’s won’t hurt you. Instead, eating a bit more fruit and introducing more greenery into your meals will leave you feeling fresh, healthier and overall, happier. Drink water, drink so much water. What’s more, a healthy diet will improve your skin, hair and general energy levels. It’s a small change but seriously worthwhile.
See your friends
It can be tempting to hide away at home, bingeing on Netflix and eating left over Christmas chocolate but it’ll only make you feel worse. Chances are your friends are feeling the same, so meet up and talk about it! Having time to yourself is essential but too much and you’ll feel lonely and disconnected from life. Put yourself back out there; a couple of hours with good friends is bound to cheer you up.
Having time to yourself is essential but too much and you’ll feel lonely and disconnected from life.
Put down the phone
Endless scrolling through Instagram, checking Snapchat stories, stalking your friend’s cousin’s boyfriend’s sister on Facebook – isn’t it just SO dull? Yet it’s like an addiction; again and again you find yourself giving into the temptation of those little glowing icons. In reality, what do we gain from constantly checking our phone? It just tends to give you a severe case of FOMO as you see celebrity after celebrity sunning themselves on an island in the Caribbean and your Facebook ‘friends’ (they’re acquaintances really, let’s be honest) seemingly leading much more interesting lives. Remember, people only post the good parts of their lives online… just like you do. No one else is likely to post a picture of themselves sitting at home feeling down but that’s not to say they aren’t feeling the same. Even just a few hours without a phone or turning your phone off at 9pm every night will give your mind a much needed break.
Plan ahead for summer
Although summer might feel like a million years away at this point, if you’ve got a bit of money saved up why not book a holiday or a weekend away with some friends? Or if you’re into festivals, starting planning which ones you’d like to go to. If like many of us, you haven’t got much spare cash, now is a great time to organise holiday work for Easter or even the start of summer to then pay for the rest of your summer. The prospect of a fun filled summer might be the one thing keeping you going as you trek to campus on a wet and windy January day. As boring as it is, it’s also worth trying to nab an internship if you haven’t looked already or getting some work experience sorted for the holidays. Then you’ll be feeling a little bit smug and in a much better mind set due to your excellent organisation.
as boring as it is, it’s also worth trying to nab an internship if you haven’t looked already
Tidy up, clear out
There is nothing more disheartening than arriving home to a messy room. Messy room = messy mind. Just use five minutes of your time to clean up and you’ll instantly feel invigorated. Whilst you’re at it, you could clear out old clothes you don’t want anymore and donate them to charity shops. This way, you’re helping those in need out and justifying (well, sort of) buying some more clothes since you now have space. You’ll be surprised at how good you feel in a tidy and clear environment.
Remember: it’s completely normal to feel the January blues and it will pass. Make sure you look after yourself and speak to someone about how you feel!
