Do you know what the third Monday in January has been popularly called for years? Cliff Arnall developed the Blue Monday Theory in 2004, considering it the most depressing day of the year, which falls every third Monday in January. Our professors dr Ivana Jošanov Vrgović and dr Dragana Mitrić Aćimović have recommended the following steps.
Cliff Arnall, a well-known psychologist, was a lecturer at an evening school in an educational center at the University of Cardiff. Arnall came to this theory through a formula he developed to calculate the saddest day of the year. To create this formula, he took into account motivation, weather conditions, debts, and the time that passed since Christmas. The term quickly became very popular, although many scientists and psychologists explain that the concept itself is not scientifically based and warn about the harmful consequences that the idea may have on people who actually struggle with depression. After some time, Arnall admitted that he randomly selected this day when a marketing agency asked him which day would be best for booking a summer vacation. Based on several surveys, Arnall concluded that on this third January day, customers' mood was at its lowest, and they felt depressed and unmotivated.
If you believe in the theory of the most depressing day of the year and notice bad mood in yourself, you can choose to sleep through the Monday and look forward to happier days. However, the bad mood can also be a “call” to focus on personal development. So, what are our options on bad days?
Be curious about your bad mood
Ask yourself why you feel the way you do. What emotions are there, and is there something specific that triggered them? Are you sad because you're alone while others are celebrating in social settings, have the post-holiday duties overwhelmed you, is your “thinner” wallet weighing you down, or is something else the cause? Naming the emotions and what is bothering us is an important step in mood regulation. It is helpful to ventilate emotions in conversation with close people, and sometimes this step alone is enough to improve your mood. In the absence of good company, writing down what you feel and think in a kind of journal can be effective. The simple mechanism behind this is that, in order to write something down, we must think about it. Many people do not overcome their bad mood because they simply do not find the time and will to ask themselves what’s behind it.
Put things into a different frame
Something that causes us bad mood succeeds only because of the way we view things. For example, if on the most depressing day of the year you decide to study for an exam, thinking how you “must,” you can look at the same situation as something you “want.” And that want is there because you look forward to passing another exam and getting closer to the diploma that will help you advance in your career and other such things. A day without company can be seen as a day of boredom and loneliness, but you can also tell yourself that it’s a day to focus on yourself. The lack of money can be seen as a “disaster,” but also as a great opportunity to create new recipes for dinner with whatever is in the fridge, to find free online entertainment, and all other things you wouldn’t have thought of if you had money. Change the way you look at things, and your emotions will change too.
Put things on a timeline
This thing that bothers you, how much longer can it last? If you ask yourself this powerful question, you will realize that the problems you are dealing with are not strong enough to overwhelm you. The money you currently don’t have, a fight with a friend, a foot injury, obligations at university... All of these are things that will change sooner or later. The mere fact that something is not permanent and unchanging tells us in a way that we have the strength to face it and gives us some optimism.
Also, if you remember situations in life when you were in a difficult position and eventually managed to get through it successfully, some times when you were also feeling down but it passed, you will realize that better days are ahead of you. As some people know how to say, “I remember both the better and worse days.” The better ones will come.
If following these guidelines does not help improve your mood at some point, remember that there are people whose job is to help you feel better. Schedule a conversation with a psychologist or psychotherapist, preferably someone with a good recommendation. Taking care of yourself and your “mental hygiene” has never been more trendy.
