Zero desire to work? Concentration under your shoes? Mental fatigue and negativity? Don't worry: it's Blue Monday and this is how you get through it.
Today is the third Monday of the year and, as has been a tradition for a decade all over the world, this means we're in the middle of Blue Monday: the saddest day of the year. Sadness, depression, stress and lack of desire to work are globally tolerated, but that doesn't mean we're allowed to make this already unpleasant day even worse.
On the contrary, there are several ways to lighten our spirits and be more positive and productive, even at work (even in smart working). Technology, as always, has an answer to this need as well and can help us make this third Monday of 2021 less blue. And, why not, also the rest of the year. Between motivational apps, online best practices, well-used electronic gadgets and streaming content, in fact, we can easily face this day in the best way to make it less depressing. Here are a few suggestions.
Blue Monday and work: apps that help
Whoever doesn't feel like working today, but still needs to bring home the result (unless they're already at home, working) can look for help in one of the many motivational apps. There are even some that focus on productivity, such as Brain.FM.
This is an app that promises, through music, to help us regain focus in just 15 minutes. The interesting thing is that the choice of music is based on precise scientific rules and specific purposes: relaxation, concentration, reduction of distractions and much more.
There are also many other apps of this kind, such as Brain Beats, Brain Waves, Study Music, Atmosphere.
Blue Monday and work: decluttering
The term "decluttering" generally refers to the practice of getting rid of the superfluous. Especially of superfluous objects.
Applying this principle to our daily work online we can certainly find a lot of unnecessary things, starting from the desktop of our PC.
To make a good cleaning of unnecessary files, to put in order in folders with clear names the files that should not be deleted, to empty the Windows recycle bin, to reduce drastically the number of open tabs in the browser are all activities that allow us to work in a cleaner, relaxing, productive environment.
Blue Monday: look elsewhere to beat the sadness
The Internet, we know, is a powerful tool to overcome barriers and reset geographical distances. And this can be very useful during Blue Monday because it allows us to take our brains elsewhere. And, perhaps, travel with the mind to wonderful places (hoping to be able to go there physically as soon as possible).
Blue Monday: lunch break with a TV series
Another way to relax and empty the head of negative thoughts is to watch an episode of a TV series in streaming, obviously choosing among those more cheerful and hilarious and avoiding those more challenging. The duration of the episodes, on average, is compatible with the lunch break and this is the best time to watch one.
Among the most cheerful ones currently in the catalog there are for example New Girl and Boris, both on Netflix.
Blue Monday: Ok Google, tell me a joke
Finally, a great way to cheer us up on the saddest day of the year is to have our smart speaker, or the digital assistant of the smartphone, tell us a joke. Just say "Ok Google, tell me a joke" to hear one.
They're usually bad jokes and not funny at all, but thinking that even Google isn't smart enough to be funny yet can help us realize that, ultimately, we live in an imperfect world made of imperfect Mondays.