Whether Blue Monday is fact or fiction, even top IT contractors get glum – just check ContractorUK’s Forum

To some IT contractors on the ContractorUK Forum, Blue Monday is a reason to be cheerful -- once it’s over of course, writes life coach Shwezin Win of Win at Life.

And fortunately, then, for this year, it is now over -- as in 2024, Blue Monday fell a week ago yesterday, Monday January 15th.

As ‘saptastic’ put it (once Blue Monday had come and gone previously), “Come on Blue Monday is over. Let’s be positive”.

To other ContractorUK readers (‘DaveB’), ‘Blue Monday’ is simply New Order’s finest moment from 1983. Some 10million views on YouTube suggest he’s not alone in his thoughts!

What is Blue Monday, outside such a contractor setting?

But what is Blue Monday? Is it just another made up day for people to talk about?

Often dubbed the ‘most depressing day of the year,’ Blue Monday falls on the third Monday of every January.

While some argue that its validity as the gloomiest day is questionable, it brings into consideration the challenges many people face during the often cold, unforgiving, and financially-challenging winter month of January.

It’s a month when many other individuals (contractors included) do get behind the concept of ‘Dry January.’

I've got the January blues

Marketing gimmick or not, unwanted feelings like sadness and lethargy on Blue Monday and in the days before and after it weren’t in short supply this year. Even if you find the evidence about the third Monday in January flaky, it’s apparent that seasonal factors do impact mental health, and not acknowledging that to someone feeling blue is about as ill-advised as it gets!

For me, I know I definitely do get the ‘January blues.’

I don’t think it’s a particular day so that probably makes me a non-believer in Blue Monday.

Goodbyes, if not farewells, make right now a tough time

But I also know I dwell sadly on the passing of festive fun; family time and, with the Christmas decorations gone, even a warm family home can feel a bit bare and quiet, as we all trudge back to school and work.

So it’s goodbye but not farewell to get-togethers with friends, and those events with family, even though hosting relatives can of course be potentially very stressful. Either way, moments of laughter and fun get replaced by feelings of obligation and angst.

Relax, HR is apparently having a mare too…

The speaker’s words on this TikTok video entitled “2 weeks back into the New Year at HR be like…” are quite frankly unpublishable for your sensitive eyes! But it lets us know that staff at your client’s organisation feel this feverish sense of fatigue too.

And that’s the truth of the situation with Blue Monday or just ‘jaded January’ as we should perhaps call it; maybe it’s even the silver lining -- we’re all in it together.

So I’ll acknowledge it here, if you’re in doubt or feeling off as well:

January ALWAYS feels like a long month.

The starting pistol to ‘getting back into the swing of things’ is so jarring, and the internal pressure you put on yourself to find your stride more quickly than you do is stronger in January than any other month. Nudges to ‘Get focused,’ or ‘Plan your year’ or ‘Set goals’ make things worse.

Your January jump-start (is down to you and you alone as a contractor)

I know a few of my contractor clients are impacted by the winter months. For them, it’s really key that they get back to work in the new year with as much enthusiasm and focus as they can. Just because they don’t need to attend the end-user’s staff-workshop on ‘Performance Target-Setting for the coming 12 months,’ doesn’t mean they aren’t a vital part of their client organisation. They are expected by a hiring manager or the like, to be raring to go whenever called upon. Arguably, it’s even harder as contractor, as you didn’t attend the performance workshop which does often succeed in jump-starting a lot of permies into action.

As a life coach to contractors who have to jump-start themselves in January, I step through the feelings and the possible root causes (some of which may be physical), but mostly require a change in mindset. Or often the addressing of a belief that’s holding them back. 

My coaching sessions particularly in January focus on ‘setting myself up’ to achieve ‘x, y and z’ -- as oft-requested by clients. As the nights continue to draw in, it’s understandable that top contractors want to stay at their best, rather than be at the mercy of winter and just go through the ups and downs of the season’s harsh impacts.

Through coaching with me, I’m delighted to reveal that one client has been able to understand and acknowledge that they do go through a cycle of sadness in the winter months.

This acknowledgement has given them the clarity to take action and develop a strategy which will keep them from dropping down into the doldrums at certain times of the year. There is nothing wrong with feeling the winter blues. It doesn’t make you weak and those who shy away from admitting they’ve got a case of Blue Monday, even come  February, could be putting themselves on a merry-go-round of adverse feelings, year-on-year.

Three mental boosters for Blue Monday / Jaded January

If you’re feeling not quite yourself, here’s a few tips to help you manage your mental health at this time of the year:

• Light Therapy – Exposure to natural light or light therapy boxes can help mitigate the effects of reduced sunlight during the winter. This can regulate daily rhythms and alleviate symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
• Physical Activity – Just getting in some regular exercise releases endorphins, improves mood and reduces stress. Even a short daily walk can have a positive impact on mental wellbeing. And if you can take that walk outside with a bit of sunshine, it gives you the light exposure that will increase the impact of your activity.
• Social Connection – We know from our time in covid lockdowns that being disconnected from other people can have a negative impact on our mental and emotional health. 

However, many people are short of cash right now, having spent chunks of take-home on Christmas and New Year, so we can tend to hide ourselves away. In order to boost mood, try to keep isolation at bay by maintaining social connections. It doesn’t have to be expensive, time-consuming or Michelin star; fix a walk with a friend, agree to chat for an hour or during your next break and take with you a coffee flask that serves two!

And breathe...

Some of the routes to improved wellbeing aren’t just physical. Consider mental approaches as well, such as these additional boosters:

• ‘Mindfulness’ and/or ‘Meditation’ – can help manage stress and anxiety. Techniques like deep breathing, and focused attention can bring a sense of calmness.
• ‘Gratitude Journaling’ – creates a habit of acknowledging and appreciating positive aspects of life, which can shift your focus from negativity to gratitude, fostering a more positive outlook.
• Setting Realistic Goals – we can sometimes be hard on ourselves to achieve, but by breaking down tasks into manageable goals and achieving small victories, you can boost confidence and contribute to an overall sense of accomplishment.

‘Anybody else just sick of contracting?’

If your feelings of sadness or anxiety still persist, seek professional support, whether in the form of a coach, health professional or therapist to help you provide coping strategies to suit your needs. 

My message is this. Whether to you Blue Monday is a scientifically proven phenomenon or not, this recurring day in the calendar illuminates the importance of addressing mental and emotional health challenges during the winter months.

It’s little wonder, to me, that a decidedly downbeat CUK Forum post ‘Anybody else just sick of contracting?’ was posted in February. (N.B. while that post hinting at quitting the contractor market was back in 2017 –“There has to be more than life than this,” so seven years ago, the OP, ‘oliverson’ posted only yesterday!)

Get your final boosters in the fight against the blues

Incorporating coping mechanisms, adopting positive mental approaches, and seeking support when needed are essential steps in braving up to; beating, and ultimately banishing the winter blues. Remember, be kind to yourself during challenging times. And understand that it's okay to have difficult days, but also, please prioritise your mental wellbeing as a year-round endeavour.

If you’re curious about life coaching and how it could support you in keeping you at your professional and personal best, book your free, no obligation, discovery call with me here https://go.oncehub.com/ShwezinWin