The most depressing day of the year has arrived. The third Monday of the year, known as “Blue Monday,” is mathematically the saddest day. This was described in 2005 by a mathematical formula created by Cliff Arnall, a researcher at Cardiff University. According to this formula, several factors such as the weather or the economy converge to discourage us: the fact that it is Monday, in the middle of the month, in the middle of January after the expenses and Christmas excesses, the return to work, to diet and to the New Year’s objectives that we are not fulfilling are some critical points that give Blue Monday its name.
Faced with this trend, Mr. Xavier Savin Vallvé, specialist psychologist and member of Top Doctors, provides 10 simple and practical tips to face discouragement and be happier. As Mr. Savin Vallvé points out Savin, it is fundamental that finding happiness starts with oneself: “Many people who come to me for consultation are convinced that when they are happy they will do many things, go out more, socialize or exercise because they will no longer be discouraged, but one of my goals is to convince them that happy people do not do pleasant things, but that those who do pleasant things end up being happy”.
These are the 10 pleasant things to do to face Blue Monday
- Get up early: even if it is difficult, getting up early to start the day without rushing and having breakfast calmly will give us energy and tranquility.
- Choose your clothes: taking advantage of the early start, you can spend some time choosing a comfortable outfit that you look good in.
- Take care of your image: feeling good about yourself influences your mood. Take the opportunity to take care of yourself, put on a different cream or perfume.
- Accumulate memories: leave reminders of good times. Even if it’s Monday and it’s time to be in the office, photographs and memories generate pleasant emotions similar to those we felt at the time.
- Positive diary: a very effective exercise is to write down every night the achievements, successes and goals you have reached during the day, no matter how small they may be. The pending obligations and failures are already remembered by themselves.
- Quality time: take advantage of the hours of Blue Monday to spend them with friends and partners, or invest them in recreational activities that may even allow you to meet people with whom to share interests and hobbies.
- Sport: without making it an obligation, but find a sport that you like, because we make enough sacrifices the rest of the day.
- Good and balanced nutrition: eating healthy and good food does not have to be at odds, and eating well makes us feel more positive and full of energy.
- Read and disconnect: reading is very effective to disconnect from day-to-day problems, besides being healthy for the brain.
- Listen to music: even if it is on your way to work, try to take some time to listen to music and clear your mind. Music has the ability to influence our mood, so it is not enough to listen to any song on Blue Monday, but you have to choose styles of music that encourage you.
These are the 10 activities that we propose to face the day to day in a better mood, although as Mr. Savin clarifies, they are not the only ones, and everyone can modify or add those that make them feel good. The best thing about this Decalogue is that it is not exclusive to Blue Monday, but that we can turn them into habits to get closer to happiness.