by Winter is a funny old time of year. Christmas, New Year, parties galore, what could possibly be better? But when none of that stuff is on the horizon, winter is filled with cold mornings, dark days and a lot of time stuck indoors. It’s no wonder a bunch of us get the winter blues!
Winter can be a time for renewal if we let it. The cold may force us inside, but it also gives us the opportunity to look inside ourselves too.
5 tips to beat the winter blues
1. Stay warm
I’m starting with the most obvious tip first (they get special here on out), and that’s to stay warm.
There’s nothing worse than trying to work, or heck, even just trying to do anything and being too cold. I don’t know about you but when that happens, my body aches, my brain slows down and I get some serious winter blues. I’m not talking freezing here, I’m talking a few degrees below that sweet spot and I can’t do my best work.
Let’s not raise that heating bill too high, so grab a blanket, thick socks and slippers. Make sure all your windows and doors are draft-proof and settle in for plenty of hot drinks.
When you take care of your body, your mind will feel better for it.
2. Have stuff to look forward to
No matter where you’re working, the daily grind can seem so much harder in the winter months than the summer ones. Instead of just pushing through, you need to give yourself things to look forward to.
Give this some variety, not all things have to be big, some can be smaller. Here are a few ideas:
- A hot chocolate at 3 pm
- A film night out during the week (cinema or at home)
- An evening walk with a portable hot drink with a loved one
- An evening baking with a friend (as a bonus, take your treats to work or share with family)
- Mid-week lunch break with a colleague or friend
- Gathering/foraging for natural Christmas decorations
3. Get ahead
Gone are the days of waiting until the New Year to plan, now’s a perfect time. Before the party season starts and before you have to start buying gifts, planning food and booking in the family, focus on yourself.
Use these beginning winter months to plan for the following year, what do you want to achieve, what projects do you want to take on? How could you start to create the life you’ve always wanted?
4. Set intentions for the party season
Once the party season arrives, it’s here and ready to take over your life.
Regardless of food and drink, take some time now to think about what you want to get from this season. Do you want to spend more time with family, network more for work, take it easy? Set your intentions now, so that when those invites come rolling in, you can prioritise which ones you want to do and which ones to turn down.
By doing this now, you’ll ensure that your winter period brings you happiness and not stress.
5. Be mindful
Dark days and nights mean there’s less time outside, and more time inside doing ‘things’. I’ve spent many winters just sitting at home in front of the TV watching the worst Christmas films you can imagine. While a little of this is fine, I would use this as a distraction, a way of hibernating in the winter months and hiding from anything I should be doing.
Don’t be like me, use this time to be mindful. Fill that lovely head of yours with information. Read books, listen to podcasts, watch documentaries. Your time is valuable, don’t let it go to waste.
The winter months can be hard, but they can also be full of pleasure, love and fun. Above all, make sure to spend this time with the people you love and take care of yourself.
Featured image by Jason Blackeye
Do you have any solutions to beat the winter blues? Leave them in the comments and let’s get chatting.
