F**K BLUE MONDAY | Doug

Monday 15th January is ‘Blue Monday'

Blue Monday was first coined as a term by psychologist Cliff Arnall, as he claimed he had calculated the most depressing day of the year. He never intended it to be seen as a negative, more an opportunity to inspire people to make bold decisions and maintain their mental health.

The 3 main pillars of mental health are;

• Sleep
• Exercise
• Diet

Focussing on getting plenty of the above will help you stay mentally fit & health.

New Pillars

Additional to the 3 main pillars above, advisors have recently added 3 new pillars, which can also support your mental health/mental fitness;

• Light - Getting outside in the morning is the best way to get some light into your life, or you can get a lamp such as a ‘Lumie’ for your dingy home office to help when indoors.
• Connection - this is all about spending time with your friends & family. Chatting in the office, or a quick call to someone close to you is the best way to stay connected on a daily basis.
• Nature - Spending time in nature has been shown by multiple studies to benefit your mental health. A walk in the morning or at lunch is also a great way to get your light exposure in!

Staying mentally fit

Here are some methods of staying mentally fit that SR2's very own mental health first aiders swear by themselves.

• Going to the gym at lunch, or even a 15-minute walkaround castle park. We even had a contract & perm crossover walk last week.
• Whether you’re training for a marathon or just walking 15 minutes a day, anything you do will have a positive impact!
• Boundaries around your work and personal life -sometimes leaving on time to go for some food with your friends is going to be better for you than staying late at work and burning out.
• A creative outlet - perhaps painting, listening to music or reading a book works for you when you want some time to relax.
• Journalling is a great way to get your thoughts out of your head. Whether it’s in the morning or evening it’s a good exercise to try
• Turning your phone off for an hour in the evening - our phones get bombarded all day, so a break in the evening to concentrate on some time to yourself could be a good idea

By Doug Gear