Better watch out for Blue Monday – it’ll catch you out if you’re not careful!
Blue Monday 2018 falls on Monday 15 January this year, and is considered to be the most downbeat or depressing day of the year.
Why? For many reasons, and not just because of the cold, dark, wet and windy wintery days. Blue Monday tends to be the breaking point for many people’s New Year’s resolutions, and the back-to-work ‘honeymoon period’ is well and truly over.
The festive season also seems to be a distant memory, were it not for the fact that Blue Monday also tends to be the day when the credit card bills from Christmas land on your doormat. That’s when the excesses of the festive season really begin to leave you out-of-pocket.
Thankfully, at La-Z-Boy we don’t do Blue Mondays. So here’s our quick guide to beating the blues…
Enjoy family time
Maybe everyone in your family or household could be feeling the same way? If so, why not tackle Blue Monday head-on by doing something together! Cuddle up on the sofa with your loved ones to enjoy a family favourite film, TV show, or even work your way through a box-set.
Then again, if that kind of ‘quiet time’ means you may be more likely to dwell on the downsides of your day, perhaps an interactive activity like a game is better. You could even all have a family talk and discuss the positive things you’ve achieved and have to look forward to.
Make a meal of it
This ties in really closely with the first point – perhaps a sit-down family meal is a great opportunity to get everyone together and forget about your worries. And maybe it’s the perfect time for everyone to crash out in the living room and share a takeaway?
For those of us on a 2018 New Year health-kick, we know that could sound counter-intuitive (especially if you’re worried that your weighing scales aren’t going in the direction you’d like them to). But why not use Blue Monday as a ‘reward day’, provided that you pledge to get back on the fitness trail tomorrow.
Book a holiday
The fact is, many holiday firms run their best deals in January because the thought of a sun-soaked beach is a world away from our wintry outdoors.
If your finances can stretch to it (see our next point about bills) why not gather the family together on the sofa behind a laptop or tablet to begin browsing. Have a good old chat about the places you’d all like to go and where your finances can stretch to, maybe you can agree on a destination and put down a deposit.
Get all the family involved and sharing ideas about what their favourite destinations or activities would be. Of course, you needn’t go abroad. You could make 2018 the year you decide to explore more of the British Isles.
Ban the bills… for today?
Once you’ve had a read of the bills you’ve received on Blue Monday, you can make a judgement call: Can they wait until tomorrow?
We’re not saying that you should ignore them altogether, because that would be irresponsible. And if you’re the kind of person who feels better to pay bills as soon as you receive them, you should do just that.
But given that the first time you read these bills is likely to be on an evening, are you going to be able to tackle them and pay them that evening? Is it much easier to do this tomorrow, during a lunch break or other downtime? Maybe the bills can wait until tomorrow…but if you’re considering booking that holiday at least make sure you can balance your books first!
Speaking of books….
Banish the blues with book
Relaxing on your sofa or in an armchair can often be the best way to banish the outside world. Maybe you’re halfway-through a book that you’ve been neglecting, or maybe it’s time to pick up and old favourite that you’ll struggle to put down?
Whichever it is, if you’re wrapped up warm in the comfort of your living room the rest of the world can wait.
We hope our ideas may have given you enough inspiration to help banish the idea of Blue Monday!
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