Businesses are giving staff days off, gift vouchers or access to interest free loans to help them cope with “Blue Monday”.
Today – the third Monday of January – is considered to be the most depressing day of the year, with people feeling the pinch of an extra long stretch between pay day, culminating with an end to the festive season and cold weather.
The term was first coined by psychologist Dr Cliff Arnall in 2004 after he supposedly devised the formula for the bleakest day to help a travel company sell holidays.
While many psychologists consider there to be no scientific credibility to support it, the term has stuck ever since.
Data provided to Money by WorldPay shows travel spending increased by 37% on Blue Monday last year, compared to the week prior.
The total value of online payments also increased, rising by 7%.
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Pete Wickes, general manager of EMEA enterprise at Worldpay, said: “While retail events like Black Friday may be better known, Blue Monday is gaining traction as a notable date in the calendar for sectors like the travel industry.
“Marketed well, for merchants these events are opportunities to kick-start the year, while for shoppers they represent a way to beat the January blues with a little discretionary spending.”
Despite multimillionaires criticising the UK workforce for being obsessed with having a work-life balance last week, several companies have launched initiatives for their employees to cope with the January blues.
James Thurlow-Craig, managing director at Create Designs, has previously given his staff Blue Monday off, but this year he has planned an activity for his team instead – they’re going glass blowing.
“The team had been joking internally that as a team building activity they’d want to do a team ‘school trip’ somewhere for the day. They wanted something where we take the day off to do something fun but slightly educational,” he said.
“On a professional level, over the last 13 years we’ve really seen the positive impact on the business it has when the team are motivated and generally happy, so we make sure to organise trips and activities whenever we can to recognise their hard work.”
Sophie Rhone, owner of Cupid PR, has taken it one step further, offering all her staff the day off to recuperate.
“We’re strong advocates of maintaining work-life balance, especially after my 10 years working at a global agency, where I witnessed first hand how quickly burnout can occur, particularly by the end of Q1,” she said.
“We decided to pay all of our contractors and freelancers while closing for the day as a gesture of appreciation for their hard work. This initiative is aimed at helping them recharge and avoid burnout, fostering a happier and more productive team in the long term.”
Across Leeds, London, Manchester and Edinburgh, staff at PrettyGreen will be given a £50 gift voucher to spend on “something that will give them an endorphin boost”.
CEO Jessica Hargreaves Paczek has also given her employees an early pay day and access to a “no questions asked” £1,000 interest free loan.
“We don’t know specifically how Blue Monday impacts our staff as it’s against our company values to ask intrusive personal questions. But we do know that January is synonymous with feeling low,” she said.
“We regularly consult our team to understand what will add most value to them. So, our January well-being and Blue Monday initiatives are based on what the team found most effective for their well-being in previous last years.”
Staff can access mental health advice, online gym classes and nutritional advice throughout January too.
How does Blue Monday affect people’s mood and what can you do to combat it?
New research from Mental Health First Aid England revealed that only 17% of employees feel motivated to go to work each day.
One in 10 employees said they never feel inspired by their job, and less than a quarter felt enthusiastic daily.
Combined with a spell of winter blues, January can prove to be a month when more people feel down, tired, irritable and stressed.
Dr Phil Clarke, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Derby pointed out that depression is a “much more distressing and a longer-term condition than one key day”.
“Instead of being pessimistic in January, it can be an exciting and optimistic month for people. It is an opportunity to start fresh,” he said.
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Here are some of his suggestions to help you through:
Strive to achieve your New Year’s resolutions
If you are struggling to stick to your New Year’s resolutions, he advised going back over them and re-evaluating where you could make small changes to help you achieve your goals.
Get outside and exercise
Exercise helps release endorphins in the brain, which are known as “happy chemicals”, he said.
“You may feel tired and sore immediately after working out, but you will feel mentally more positive, happy and experience a mental high.
“Regular exercise helps reduce stress and feelings of anxiety, boosts your self-esteem and helps with your sleep. So, keep active.”
Spend time with friends and family
“This does not cost anything financially and can instantly make you feel better by putting a big smile on your face,” Clarke added.
“Positive psychology shows that counting your blessings and be mindful of the good things in your life can lead to improvements in mood and wellbeing.”
Try a hobby or volunteer
Dr Clarke said starting a new activity or volunteering could help.
“As well as looking after yourself, there is nothing better than the feeling of helping others. If you have some spare time, see what volunteering opportunities are on offer in your local area and lend a hand to those who need it,” he added.
