We all know the winter blues. It’s the feeling that starts to creep in this time once the New Year settles down, and the goals, visions and manifestations we’ve planned to set us up for success have started to fall by the wayside. A post-holiday slump overcomes us, February is speeding around the corner and our motivation comes to a screeching halt. But why does this happen each New Year? Why are the winter blues at this time of the year such a universal experience, and why, no matter how hard we try, do they always seem to hit us with the same heavy resistance? Why do the winter blues happen? So many people experience an especially notable, mid-January slump that breeds more intense symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) and decreased motivation, commonly called the ‘winter blues.’ Some say that “Blue Monday”, typically the third Monday of January, is the actual peak of this collectively-experienced sadness. And while there’s limited evidence that this is actually true, most of us can agree this time of year has a certain stagnation to it. And many of us fall out of the habits and routines we’d set to make us feel healthy and on track with our goals. In fact, research shows that by February, 80% of people have fallen off their New Year’s resolutions. What’s more, just 6% of people will actually achieve those resolutions at all by the end of the year. Clearly, a majority of us fall off our goals in the first month of the New Year. There are many potential factors as to why our motivation dips so low in these times, and it’s likely a combination of many, including: 1. New Year excitementThe first thing to consider is there’s a massive buildup of inspiration and motivation at the end of the year in December. This is then followed by a stark decline in the New Year’s “magic” as life begins to return to its normal pace. Because of this, we tend to fall out of our habits and get caught up in the monotonous, growing task list of life and work. 2. Post-holiday bluesIn the early days of winter, there’s much to look forward to for many of us—the nostalgia for the first snowfall in November, the excitement of the Holiday festivities in December, and the reduction in work requests. But while the first couple weeks back to work in January might feel energising and exciting from a (hopefully) refreshing break, that motivation slowly starts to decline as the demands of life and work inch back up to full speed. This means less headspace to accomplish our personal goals and a lower sense of life satisfaction.3. Lack of social opportunities: There’s also a notable decrease in social events post-holidays as everyone gets back into their routines—which gives S.A.D. symptoms prime real estate to fester. This, compounded with shorter days, reduced sunlight exposure and a lack of vitamin D for those in the northern hemisphere, it’s understandable that our mental health would take a nosedive.When all of these conditions come together, it’s typical to fall into a cycle of decreased motivation from poor mental and physical wellbeing. As a result, we’re less likely to do things we care about, and we all know the saying: action breeds motivation. So when we don’t accomplish anything, we have less motivation to take action, trapping us in this tricky “inaction paradox”. But don’t worry…there’s a way out! And below, we list out a few tips to help build that motivation and energy up again and get back on track to creating the life you this New Year.How to beat the winter blues 1. Don’t fight the feelingsIn order to beat the winter blues we must first understand why we experience them (which you’ve just done above!)—and the second one is not to fight the feelings.You can’t avoid the winter blues entirely or fight off lapses in motivation. Motivation isn’t linear, and it’s bound to wane eventually—especially if you experience S.A.D. (which affects an estimated 1 in 3 people in the UK).The key is having an action plan that allows you to notice the lack of motivation, feel it, and learn how to carry on with it. 2. Keep your goals and motivations visibleThe best thing you can do is keep your goals and targets visible to you each day. Create a visual representation of all that you want to accomplish in the New Year and make it impossible for you to avoid looking at it every day. This could mean placing a vision board on top of your desk, writing down your goals on a sticky note attached to your laptop, or making a collage as your phone background.This helps keep your targets top of mind and can help to re-spark that initial motivation and the “why” behind the goals you set for yourself. 3. Take 2-3 minutes a day to do one wellbeing habitOftentimes, when we feel chronically demotivated and stuck in a rut, it means we’re neglecting some form of wellbeing—be it mental or physical. And if we do this for too long, we won’t have the energy to accomplish our goals, and we run the risk of hitting full-blown burnout. If you know you’ve been neglecting a certain part of your health or wellbeing, make a conscious effort to spend as little as 2-3 minutes a day prioritising that one thing. If you’re not sure what it is you need to prioritise, try aligning with yourself through a simple meditation or a deep breathing exercise to regulate your nervous system and let your mind get quiet. Maybe it’s a quick at-home workout, a 5-minute walk around the block—whatever it is, make it a priority. Daily! Once you identify and start investing in these small, meaningful wellbeing-focused habits, not only will your wellness and energy improve, but it becomes a stepping stone or a “small win” that will eventually help you get back on track with your goals. And this is exactly why we built the YuLife app: to make wellbeing accessible and rewarding, even if it’s just for a few minutes a day. These types of small wins make us feel accomplished, and when done consistently, can lead to even bigger wins down the line. If you have the YuLife app, getting started is simple! Make it a goal to accomplish one daily wellbeing challenge to start putting yourself first. If you need motivation: duel a colleague! 4. Talk to someone about how you’re feelingIn these times, it can be easy to fall into pits of sadness, self-worth and just a bad overall case of the winter blues. When this happens, sometimes all you need is a trusted friend, family member or maybe even a professional to help you work through those feelings and any limiting thoughts you might be having. Take some time to have a coffee chat with someone who can give you an external perspective. Sometimes a little outside reassurance or loving motivation is all you need to start getting back on track. 5. Invest in sunlight tabletsLow vitamin D may be more prominent than you think, with nearly 50% of the global population experiencing vitamin D “insufficiency”. This can cause various health complications from low bone density, to fatigue, to depression. If you’re looking to boost your vitamin D intake, a great hack is not only to ingest vitamin D tablets, but you can also test out a sunlight tablet. This tool emulates real sunlight to help you feel more energised and fueled in those long, dark and gloomy winter weeks. These are easily available online through stores like Amazon—meaning you could even redeem your hard-earned YuCoin for one! 6. Follow the 5-second rulePopularised by the globally-recognised author and inspirational speaker, Mel Robbins, the “5-second rule” can be a super helpful tool in getting yourself out of your mind and back into your body to get things done when motivation is low. The principle focuses on shortening the time between having an idea to act on something and actually acting on it. Typically, if there’s resistance to a task, your mind will talk you out of acting on it within the first 5 seconds—and most of the time, that lack of motivation will win. This is exactly what keeps us trapped in the “inaction paradox”. But if we interrupt that thought pattern in the first 5 seconds, we can get ourselves into action mode and breed motivation from there.This is effective for the smallest tasks and habits you want to build—be it getting in the car to go to the gym, or washing a plate before you leave it in the sink (and begin the never-ending pile of dishes). Here’s how to use it: The next time you get an idea to act on something that will help you get out of your “inaction paradox”, count back from 5-4-3-2-1, and when you hit “1”, you simply get up. That’s it. It sounds too easy…but it actually works wonders (and it’s backed by psychology!). Above all else, the most important thing to take away from today is this: We all experience a slump this time of year. The key to beating the winter blues is taking care of yourself first, recognising your patterns and focusing on the small actions and tools that can help you move through it. Even the smallest of steps forward is still a step! Do these things—and you’ll be back on track in no time. About YuLifeYuLife is working to reimagine the insurance industry by protecting lives, rewarding living and inspiring life. We’re on a mission to transform traditional insurance into a life-enhancing experience each employee will value and use daily. How does it work?Our award-winning app uses behavioural science and game mechanics to reward your people for living well while offering protection in case of crisis. And with our top-rated employee assistance programme, your team gets access to mental, financial and social support, virtual GPs, nutritionists, life coaches and more to help them live their best lives.Because we believe that your employees should benefit from their insurance from day one — and that wellbeing should be accessible every day, for everyone.Request a demo for your team today.