8 ways to beat the January blues in the workplace

January is often a time when people take a pause to reflect and set goals – both personally and professionally. It is also, somewhat paradoxically, the month of Blue Monday, which typically takes place on the third Monday of January and is allegedly the day when your motivation is at its lowest – an idea in itself that can somewhat dampen your spirits and prevent you from seeing it as an opportunity for a new start. Regardless of whether you buy into Blue Monday as a construct, the dark, cold weather and return to work after the December festivities can put the breaks on your energy, so we’ve put together some tips to help you manage the January blues and give you that incentive to take the right steps towards improving your health, happiness, mindset, and career prospects.

At a glance: beat the January blues

• Take a walk or get some exercise
• Meditate for mindfulness
• Limit your screen time
• Join a club and have fun
• Reflect on your success
• Plan for what will make you happy
• Learn a new skill
• Speak to someone

There are many ways in which the blues can manifest themselves, particularly in the workplace – you may feel less productive, lack energy and motivation or feel irritable. Here are a few tried-and-tested strategies for combatting them:

Take a walk or get some exercise

As you’ve probably heard a million times, taking a break throughout the day can help with productivity and creativity and even reduce stress. Take the time to go for a walk or even take a yoga class on your lunch break to release tonnes of endorphins and get your blood pumping. Make this a regular habit at work, and you’ll soon see a positive impact on your mood.

Meditate for mindfulness

Introducing some daily meditation, either in the morning or after your workday, can help you focus on the present and alleviate some of the worries or concerns you might be grappling with. Meditation can help reduce anxiety and increase resilience, so it’s a great way to set up your day. If you’re feeling especially zapped for motivation, or a little overwhelmed, meditating can calm your mind and help you tap into different perspectives.

Limit your screen time

Ensuring you don’t spend too much of your lunch break looking at a screen will do wonders for your mental state. While we all love to check in on the world and our social media updates, remember to limit screen time so you get that mental break before you resume the second half of your workday. Reading a book, listening to music, or buying one of your favourite magazines is a great way to take time out.

Join a club and have fun

Spending time with colleagues is always a good way to strengthen relationships and create a positive work environment. Why not find a lunchtime activity to get stuck into, whether it’s trivia games, going for a run in a local park, or even starting a book club! Invite colleagues to join and use lunch breaks as a chance to have fun, recharge and engage in conversations. Remember, even if you’re working from home, some of these activities can still be organised over a video call.

Reflect on your success

Take the time to reflect on your achievements, no matter how big or small. Whether you’re looking over a year, month or just a week, it will be a positive reminder of what you’ve achieved, and help you understand your strengths and recognise your weaknesses. Maybe it will instil renewed motivation for your current role, or inspire you to consider an entirely new career direction.

Plan for what will make you happy

After you’ve weighed up your achievements, look at your career plan to see what next steps you need – and want – to take. Tick off those objectives you previously made and assess whether the others are still relevant to your role and interests. Are they achievable or do you need to rewrite them to better align with who you are today? Write down your goals, make lists, and get excited for what’s around the corner.

Having a concise plan in place will give you the focus and motivation to move forward with your career. If you do need to rewrite your objectives, seeking support from your manager will ensure you’re both held accountable for your success.

Learn a new skill

Mental exercise helps keep the brain in shape, so speak to your manager about what training options are available to you. Not only will learning stimulate your mind, but it can help further your career. Check out career podcasts and attend industry events. 

Keeping your skills and knowledge up to date is not only rewarding, but has never been as important as it is in today’s skills-short job market.

Speak to someone

If you do need more support with your mental health and are feeling particularly down around this time of year, speak to your manager about getting the help you need.

However, if you’re completely lacking motivation in your role, it might be time to be honest with yourself about what you really want out of your job. Find a way to confide in your manager that you’re not fulfilled and see if they’re able to suggest alternative options for you – it could be taking on a brand-new challenge or joining a different team to give you a new lease of motivation.

If you’re thinking about looking for a new, more rewarding role in 2024, then check out our latest vacancies – we add new ones daily.