If you’ve got that February feeling, you’re not alone. With January being the longest month ever (it’s basically a scientific fact) and winter weather still going strong – not to mention the ol’ pandemic – we wanted to do a quick mental health check. For many, this month feels especially hard to manage seasonal depression and overall winter blues.
If you’re looking for a beam of (ahem, toxic) positivity, this isn’t your stop. Instead, this is how our team tries to keep our mental health in check during the winter doldrums (results may vary).
Resolve to let it go
Did you know that most people have abandoned their New Year’s resolutions by January 12? That’s not even two weeks of whatever unsustainable workout regimen, healthy eating, or insert-depravity-here promises people make to themselves. Wintertime during the second year of a pandemic is not the time to force yourself to workout in your freezing garage or make it to a yoga class while it’s still dark out. We won’t lie; exercise does a lot to boost mental health, so try to find some kind of movement you enjoy (see some ideas here).
Give yourself permission to do less
With so many of us still in a work-from-home scenario, it’s crucial to create boundaries and step away from the computer a healthy amount. Let’s be honest, most of us didn’t actually work a hard eight to 10 hours a day; there were morning coffee runs, lunches with coworkers, bathroom breaks that may or may not involve a stop in the kitchen for a snack… don’t feel like you need to be your most productive just because your laptop is a few feet away from you at all times. Put blocks on your calendar to ensure you take time for yourself throughout the day. Bonus points if you get outside (weather permitting)! These ideas from last January are still (too) relevant.
Find ways to lighten the mood
It’s been a dark time (figuratively and literally with Daylight Saving Time), so, understandably, our outlooks and even everyday actions have been a bit more intense and serious. If you can, inject a little playfulness into your life and that of your close friends, family, and colleagues. That doesn’t mean pretending it’s all rainbows and sunshine; it’s bringing levity to a situation we’re all aware… sucks. These empathy postcards are fun, you can’t go wrong with a hilarious podcast, and great music is always a mood-lifter.
With the CDC’s latest quarantine guidelines offering a bit more freedom and the COVID-19 numbers decreasing, we have hope that happier times are coming. Not to mention that we’re setting our clocks forward in just a couple of weeks (hooray, 7pm sunsets!). Hang in there, and if you need backup, feel free to contact us any time.