Got the BLUES?

Here are ways in which you can beat January blues this New Year.

- ALISON SIFUMA

The New Year is the time for resolutions and new beginnings, but January is, unequivocally, the ‘Mondayest’ month of the year. There is just no getting around it. It’s like a never-ending 31-day hangover or that overbearing relative who keeps asking when you are going to get married because apparently, you are way past your marital age. Whatever that is.

There is a melancholy which looms over the month of January; a lull in positivity. This is something known as the ‘January blues’. In many ways, it makes sense that people don't feel the best at the beginning of the year; the holidays are over and it's back to work or back to school and everything is setting back to ‘normal'.

So until time travel becomes a reality and we can skip the month altogether, here are a few tips that will help you cope with January blues.

EASE INTO WORK MODE

Gone are the wonderful days of lounging on the sofa in PJs, binge- watching 10 seasons of Friends, a bowl of buttered popcorn perfectly balanced on a throw pillow, with absolutely no care in the world. Your alarm starts blaring before your eyelids are fully closed. It is a life of early mornings, late nights and kids who cannot figure where their socks are. Responsibilities stare you right in the face, as if daring you to ignore them.

The process of going back to work can be painful, so take time to get back into the groove. Do not dive into your work like you never left, plan and put everything in order so that you do not exert yourself too much.

When a day feels like it is just dragging along, interact with your colleagues and share your holiday experiences. Sharing memes and cat videos are some activities that will help you pass time.