Navigating the post-holiday blues

The post-holiday period can take some time to adjust to. With Christmas in particular, it is something to look forward to throughout November and December, so the abrupt end to these celebrations is daunting for many. This feeling, combined with bad weather and short days, leaves people feeling lost in the New Year. This article provides some advice to help navigate the post-holiday blues.

New Year’s resolutions can allow you to instigate healthy habits, like getting up earlier or reducing your screen time, which can make a positive impact

With the onset of the New Year comes the inevitable discussion of New Year’s resolutions. These goals aim to motivate for the year ahead. However, many people feel pressured by this arbitrary goal-motivated mindset, and if they struggle to achieve their resolutions, they are left feeling disappointed with themselves.

In my opinion, New Year’s resolutions are useful, but only when done mindfully. They must be achievable; for instance, do not set the goal of running a marathon when you have never run before! The best way is to use something numerical to instigate a concrete goal, like ‘run a 5k’. Then, you have a tangible thing to work towards.

New Year’s resolutions can allow you to instigate healthy habits, like getting up earlier or reducing your screen time, which can make a positive impact. It is important to remember, however, that introducing new habits takes time and cannot happen overnight.

The main thing to remember when setting New Year’s resolutions is to celebrate the small goals. You do not need to compare your goals to anyone else’s. There is no way I could read 100 books in a year, but for some people, that is perfectly achievable. By keeping things small (but ambitious in some way to you), you can still have the joy of achievement without the pressure.

Despite the cold, embracing the outdoors can work wonders for your mental health

As well as setting goals for yourself, an important factor in beating the post-holiday blues is getting outside. This sounds like an obvious answer, but the value of getting out into nature cannot be understated. Maybe you decide to go for a walk with your housemates or switch your run on the treadmill to a run outside. Despite the cold, embracing the outdoors can work wonders for your mental health.

The holiday period is exciting because it is something you can look forward to for a long time, but once it is over you can feel a bit lost. This is why it is a great idea to plan things throughout the year, so you always have something to look forward to. These plans do not necessarily have to be big things like holidays or theatre trips. They could be as small as planning to see that film you are excited about on opening night, or making sure to go to that café you always wanted to visit.

It is nice to have plans throughout the year, but if you particularly struggle with the winter months, try to schedule some things in specifically for these months. For example, you could plan a night out with friends to celebrate the end of January. This way, you can make a point of celebrating small milestones.

Surrounding yourself with friends and family is an important factor in beating the post-holiday blues. Christmas, for many people, is about spending time with others, but this does not have to stop after December. Try to make time to see different people, perhaps those who you did not celebrate Christmas with. Spending time with others is a great way to improve your mood, and I am sure it will help them too.

The main thing to maintain a positive mindset is to not compare yourself to others, as everyone’s goals and skills are completely different

The New Year is the perfect time to try out new hobbies. Maybe you have always wanted to try crochet or get into board games. Hobbies allow the mind to focus on things other than stressful thoughts. You do not have to be perfect at whatever you try because the main thing is that you enjoy it.

I hope this article has given you some helpful guidance on how to navigate the post-holiday blues. The main thing to maintain a positive mindset is to not compare yourself to others, as everyone’s goals and skills are completely different. This time should be an exciting prospect, so going into it with this attitude will help to maintain a positive outlook.