Articles From the Team

Monday Blues

Christmas is a long distant memory and now all thoughts lie ahead towards those summer holidays of lying in the sun, sipping cocktails on the beach. Monday 20th January is classed as blue Monday by many the world over; however many just shrug this off as a gimmick, whereas some mental health charities recognise this as an actual symptom of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Chantel Gallagher, Consultant with BCL Legal in Birmingham offers her opinion on how to beat those Monday blues.

Getting up on a Monday after a nice relaxing weekend can be a struggle at the best of times; however a report shows that a major reason for a lack of motivation comes from continued darkness after the highlights of Christmas and New Year. Not only is Monday 20th the day where most people have Monday blues, it is also the day of the year where most will break their New Years resolutions. I believe that there a few factors that you can put into play to overcome those Monday blues:

• Exercise- It has been proven that exercise causes your brain to release mood-boosting endorphins • Laughing- Also proven to release endorphins which will make you feel good • Be nice- It may be obvious but we all get a little tingle inside when we do something nice for someone less fortunate than us, even just helping a colleague can give you that feeling of accomplishment • Limit stimulants- this is something that we are all guilty of, but stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are not the best things for keeping you bright and perky for an entire day. They give you that boost that you need instantly however you will soon have a crash which will probably make you feel worse than you did before your fix • Think of good things- Dr Piech says thinking about people and things you care about the most will help get you through the misery. He said: “It is important to remember, there are nice things in life, and for most of us, we are quite fortunate in having these things” • Get things done- Finishing any outstanding projects, paperwork or housework can make you feel like you have achieved something and therefore make you feel better about your day.

I’m sure there are many more things that can be done to overcome those Monday blues; however I feel these are simple and affective ways that cost no money to give yourself the boost that we all need on a Monday morning.

If you are looking to secure a new job and would like a confidential discussion contact Chantel Gallagher at BCL Legal on 0121 236 2623 or email chantelgallagher@bcllegal.com