11th Jan 2023
We’re Reinventing Blue Monday!
The lead-up involves spending money on gifts, stocking up on food and refreshments and scheduling plans with friends and family.
The heat of the festivities often involves hosting said plans, eating and drinking too much and sometimes mediating family relations.
The aftermath is often equally as exhausting. Finances can be tight, and especially in current circumstances, the mind turns to the unknown of the year ahead.
It’s in this latter period, when all the fun is over and reality kicks in again, that so many of us can feel down. As a result, this is where we find the infamous ‘Blue Monday’.
But at blu, we’re fed up with the negativity of this day. That’s why we’re taking matters into our own hands and spreading some positivity. We’re removing the ‘e’ from this annual day’s name and reinventing it with the launch of our blu Monday campaign!
We’ve shared our top 5 tips for improving your wellbeing in 2023 on our blog and will soon be sharing some of our favourite vaping jokes and memes, which you will also see on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Plus, there will be plenty more treats to come.
So, if you’re looking for a way to turn January into – well, a much better month - we’re here for you.
Want to find out more about Blue Monday? Read on…
What is Blue Monday, And When Is It?
With January experiencing a post-festive lull, poor weather and long nights, many believe it to be the most depressing month of the year. So, it may come as no surprise that Blue Monday, which falls on the third Monday of January every year, is widely regarded as the saddest day of the year.
However, the bluest day was first coined by a life coach and psychologist in 2004 when a holiday company asked him to come up with a scientific formula for the January blues, and has since had question marks around its legitimacy.
With this in mind, we conducted research into what Brits really think of Blue Monday and how they manage this alleged low period in the calendar.
What Did Our Blue Monday Research Reveal?
In a 2021 survey of 2,000 Brits aged 25 and over, we found that over a quarter of the population already feel worried about the year ahead by the time Blue Monday comes around, and 48% of respondents expected January to be the lowest month of the year.
Furthermore, a fifth of Brits went as far as already booking some sort of holiday or annual leave in an attempt to avoid the day altogether in 2022.
What tips did our survey respondents reveal for improving wellbeing? Well, 24% said they will stay away from negative news, 22% would try to go into a new year with a positive mindset, and 21% would make plans to do something they enjoy. Other top tips included booking a day off work and making sure you are surrounded by friends and family.
Many people also set New Year’s resolutions to help them keep their mood up and better themselves. The most popular resolutions amongst our survey respondents were to exercise more (53%), to focus more on self-care (44%), and to spend less money (46%).
Other popular resolutions included having a clear out, drinking less alcohol, taking up a new hobby and quitting smoking.
Almost 40% of Brits Believe ‘Blue Monday’ is Actually the Saddest Day of the Year
Despite the survey revealing many people dread January and see their mood change during this time, just 38% of respondents said they believe Blue Monday to be the saddest day of the year.
More than 1 in 2 stated that they strongly or somewhat believe that Blue Monday is just a gimmick as there’s no real proof people feel most sad on this day and that it is unnecessary to make people feel sad for a ‘made-up day’. However, almost half (48%) believe Blue Monday has a negative impact on mood whether it is believed or not.
What Influences Brits’ Moods Year Round?
Beyond Blue Monday, our study also looked closer at what types of things have an effect on our moods year-round.
A staggering 60% of Brits felt that the poor weather had a significant, negative effect on their morale.
Additionally, when looking at specific genders, we found that while 58% of women think everyday news brings them down, only 23% of them are willing to turn it off.
Women have also been found to let finances affect their mood more than men, with 53% worrying about money compared to just 27% of men.
Across the board, we found that 60% of people see food and drink as having a positive impact on their mood.
It also came as no surprise after what we had already learnt about the weather’s impact on people’s moods to learn that July was the month people feel the happiest.
