How to Beat Office Winter Blues

Happy New Year Everyone,

Now that the fun and festivities are over and we have all eaten and drank far too much, it is time to get on with dreary January.

The majority of us will be waking up in the dark and leaving the office in the dark, the weather is miserable outside and we will all be trying not to succumb to the flu. 

So what can we do to lift our spirits and get through January? 

Do not despair, we have some tips for you and your employers:

 

1. Employers, provide your staff with some healthy snacks, or if you do not have a caring employer, bring into the office your own healthy snacks.  
Have a little fruit bowl on your office desk to keep you snacking healthily during the day. All of the extra vitamins will not only provide you with more energy but they will also help fight off infection. 

If you do get poorly, please stay at home, the rest of us do not want to catch it. Don’t be tempted to comfort eat and leave the caffeine and sugary drinks alone. Put some herbal teas in your office desk drawer.

2. Movement and Vitamin D are essential.

Don’t worry, I am not suggesting you join a gym and live the entire month of January down there. But I am suggesting you get wrapped up and go for a walk during lunchtime or at the weekends and generally take more breaks outside. 

During winter, your Vitamin D levels will naturally decrease, so try and get outside or invest in some good lighting that mimics natural daylight.

3. See if there are any local Well-Being workshops available. 

Employers, you could look into this and advise your staff accordingly. These are actually very good, once I got over looking at a raisin for 15 minutes, I found it incredibly beneficial.

4. Find a new routine that works for you in the mornings.

We all find getting out of the house on time a little stressful, so think about your current routine and how you could change it for the better. Identify the triggers that cause you stress and cut them out. 

Look at simplifying your wardrobe, if you waste too much time trying to think of what to wear. If you generally just throw on the nearest thing, try making more of an effort and see whether that makes you feel more positive about the day ahead. 

Think, could you change your breakfast habits? Could you maybe walk to work with a coffee you have made from home? Now is the time for a positive change in your routine.

5. Book some activities to look forward to.

We all like to hibernate at this time of the year but get yourself out there and book something nice to do. Set some realistic goals for this year.

6. Employers consider offering remote working agreements to your staff, so that they can work from home during the winter months on occasion.

We all like to hibernate at this time of the year but get yourself out there and book something nice to do. Set some realistic goals for this year.

7. Take a rest form technology when you are at home. 

Turn your phones off, put the tablets away and enjoy some quality time at home. Your world will not come crashing down if you have not checked your emails or posted on social media. 

Try going old school and actually pick up a real book to read.

Working from home? We have some advice for you as well

For those of you that work from home, it may be snug and cosy in your Futurefile designed home office but it is important to try and stick to working 9am – 5pm. Go to the gym in your lunch hour (yes, actually take a lunchbreak), meet someone for a coffee or take your dog for a stroll.

I know all of this is common sense but sometimes we just need a little reminder. Beat the January Blues, go on, you can do it.

Best wishes for this year from us all at Futurefile Ltd.

 

Debbie Wilson

 

Director

 

What do you think of our advice? Do you have any other ideas to add to the list? Drop them into the comments below!

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