The weather is grey in Tayside and Fife, the joys of the festive season are over and we have to go back to work. So January can be tricky, even for the most positive among us.
But if you’re finding the return to work tough, there are a few things you can do to boost your mood and make the transition easier.
Our experts share 5 top tips on how to make going back to the grind less stressful.
1. Establish a routine
The period between Christmas and New Year is a bit of a black hole – you don’t really know what time it is, what you’re doing, or why you’re eating Celebrations for breakfast!
So Lesley Cooper, wellbeing consultant and founder of WorkingWell recommends establishing a solid routine as soon as the holidays are over.
“When you are already lacking energy, you will struggle with emotional regulation in the face of pressure,” she says.
“One of the best ways to embed this into your day-to-day life is establishing routines which support healthy and sustainable performance,” she advises.
This should include exercise and taking regular breaks – at least 10 minutes every 90-120 minutes – Lesley says.
“And schedule social time you can look forward to after work, at least 15 minutes wind-down time at the end of the day, and any other activities which create distance between the pressures of work and everything else.”
2. Focus on the present and face fears
This can be a very reflective time of year, as we think back on what happened in 2022 and set our intentions for 2023.
But life coach Gillian McMichael, founder of Full Circle Global, recommends focusing on the present.
“Most of us spend our time focusing on the past or the future, but rarely in the present moment,” she explains.
“But when we focus on the here and now – which is the only time we should be focusing on – we forget about past disappointments and instead we can rewire our mind to focus on the current moment.”
And if you are feeling nervous about what’s to come in 2023, Gillian advises: “Fear is led by the mind, but it can take over everything – from how we feel, to what we want and can stop us from making the decisions we need to make.
“When change is present, we can feel frightened about what lies ahead,” she explains. “The best way to tackle fear is head on.”
3. Embrace the blue feeling
Dr Lisa Turner, trauma recovery expert and founder of CETfreedom recommends embracing difficult feelings.
“Toxic positivity conditions us to reject negative emotions. Nothing bad happens because you have a bad feeling,” she says.
“Your negative emotions are a way of telling you if something isn’t a good option for you, or a particular choice or action is not ideal, or to let you know that somebody is crossing a boundary,” she explains.
“Rather than denying what you feel, embrace all feelings.”
4. Stop doom-scrolling and sleep more
It’s no secret that a good night’s sleep will make you feel more energised, positive and productive.
But with the stresses of January looming, it might feel out of reach.
“With the evenings remaining dark, you may want to adjust your sleep schedule and go to sleep a few hours earlier in the evening and wake up a few hours earlier,” advises Martin Seeley, sleep expert and CEO of MattressNextday.
You should also ensure your bedroom is a calm space and remove tech from it, says Martin.
“Not just because the blue light emitted has an adverse effect on sleepiness, but because you may find that late night doom-scrolling or scrolling endlessly on social media makes you feel even worse,” he says.
5. Set the mood
“Getting into the habit of setting your mood the night before can create a far more optimistic mindset and ease us into the new working year,” says empowerment coach Taz Thornton.
“Every night, just before I go to sleep, I set my mood for the day ahead.
“I say how grateful I am for the hours of sleep my body is about to receive, acknowledging that it’ll be the perfect amount of time for my mind, body and spirit to reset, so I’ll wake up feeling refreshed, joyful and ready for an awesome day.
“This works on the basis that the last thought before you go to sleep will be the first one your brain acknowledges when you wake up.”
Taz also recommends listing things you’re grateful for in the morning to start your day on a positive note. “Simple things – the smell of fresh coffee, fresh air, my cat’s purr, boiling water at the push of a button, a bed to lie in… simple stuff is fine.”
Conversation