Have you heard of Blue Monday? The third Monday of January has been deemed the most depressing day of the year. All the fun and excitement of Christmas has passed and you’re faced with the realisation that you’ve made a series of resolutions that you should really try and stick to. Some people, having been paid early in December, find that by the third week of January they have to start pinching the pennies to get through to the end of the month.  

The concept was coined by psychologist Cliff Arnall in 2004. He devised a formula which he claimed could pinpoint the most depressing point of the year. He has since declared it pseudoscience and encourages people to ignore it. We however, think that although there is no scientific basis to it, why not use it as a little nudge to help us get through January. Take it as a reminder to get back on track with New Year resolutions.  

Try thinking of positive things you can do to address health and well-being. Are there any changes you could make or challenges you could take on? Have you considered trying Veganuary? Or maybe Dry January?   

Of course, we would start with finances. If you feel that you are stressed out about your finances and find that January is a difficult month, why not consider creating a budget to help you to control your personal expenditure? Or plan ahead so that you’re not rushing at the last minute to do your tax return ahead of the self-assessment deadline on the 31st? We feel that if you want to minimise any stress related to your finances, you should consider undertaking regular financial planning reviews with your adviser to make sure you have the right money in the right place at the right time! We can help put everything into a manageable, understandable format to help ease those January blues. 

In the meantime, why not check out The Samaritans’ #BrewMonday? This campaign encourages us to reach out to connect with family, friends or colleagues to have a brew and a chat. You never know who might need a chat and cup of tea! Click here.  

Or, you could just cheer yourself up by watching the mesmerising graphics and listening to this video of the classic 1984 original 12” single version of Blue Monday by New Order. Click here.