How to make January more bearable

With the Christmas holidays coming to an end, it can be hard to get back into a routine in the New Year. Everyone can agree to some extent that January isn’t the most popular month of the year. The nights are colder and get darker quicker, so what’s to love about January? Instead of letting these points get you down, why not try and turn the holiday blues around. Below are a few ways to make January more bearable.

• Eat healthier and Exercise

I’m sure most of the population have eaten too much over the Christmas period. The 2 weeks would’ve consisted of a constant game of how much can I eat today? By the time you’ve entered January and have started to get back into a routine, it is time to get over the comfort eating and start exercising and eating healthier. It will be probable that most of people’s New Year’s resolutions will have a point related to either losing weight or eating healthier, so why not start now?

Whether you want to go on a strict diet or want to cut down on some of the unhealthy foods you consume, we all have to start somewhere. It is recommended that if you want to give up things you love like chocolate or wine for example, you should cut this down in moderation and not cut it all out straight away. You are more likely to be successful this way, as cutting it out immediately can cause you to relapse. Nutritional changes like these will make a huge difference on your wellbeing.

Exercise is also another way to help improve your mood, especially when you have the holiday blues. Anything from joining the gym and attending classes to a brisk walk before or after work can help improve the grogginess you may be feeling after Christmas. This will give you the chance to clear your head and start everyday as fresh as you can.

• Try something that you’ve never tried before

If the previous year wasn’t that eventful and you’re in the same mind set this year, then why don’t you try something new? It could be anything that you’re interested in doing, achieving, learning or seeing.

Whether you want to learn a new sport or language, find a new job or finish a series of books, it is beneficial to make a list of what you want to achieve and give yourself something to look forward to. Even if you wanted to travel somewhere new, January is the month that can provide you with great deals! Giving yourself something to look forward to can help immensely when trying to get through what feels like the longest month of the year.

• Act on the negatives

In some cases, the January blues can act as a disguise for bigger issues that may be occurring. If you are really struggling and can’t seem to shake them off, then maybe you should ask yourself if there are underlying issues that you need to make yourself aware of. Writing lists about what is getting you down is a great way to get to the bottom of your problems. Once these problems are listed it will be easier to find solutions to your ‘January blues’.

These problems could be anything from small to large, for example, you need a more active social life, you’re not enjoying your hobby as much or you need a new career. Once these issues are listed, it will be easy to identify new goals that you can measure.

It is easy to lose motivation when setting goals, however if they are issues that are making you unhappy then you should be motivated enough to change them. Setting aside time each day to work towards your solutions will help you stay motivated and focussed and hopefully you will feel much more positive.

• Make a to do list

Most people create a New Year’s resolution list at the start of the year consisting of things they want to achieve throughout the year. Whilst the majority of these fail or some don’t reach the end of their list, it may be more beneficial to create a to do list.

Make a list of things you want to achieve within the year and ensure that they are measurable, realistic and can be completed within a specific time frame. Once your list is created, you should make points on what steps you are going to take to reach these goals and when you should complete these steps by. This not only helps you to achieve them but will help you stay motivated as completing these steps mean you are closer to your end goal.

The points on the list can be something small that will take a month or something bigger which could take up to a year. It is also a good way to declutter your life and help you stay on track to completing tasks.

• Make budget friendly plans

Planning events or simply getting together with your friends each weekend can make January a little bit more bearable. Going out for dinner, a few drinks, or having a quite night in can be relaxing and can also take your mind off things that are stressing you during the start of the year.

Having plans for each weekend can also make the week more bearable as you have always got something to look forward too. Although it is nice to do nothing after a long week at work, having plans to look forward to can help increase your mood.

Click New Job to start your search!