The most depressing day of the year

I was sat in front the TV on Monday this week, eating my cereal whilst getting my dose of BBC Breakfast news as normal, when low and behold the news reader announced that Monday 21 January 2008 was officially the most depressing day of the year.

Mondays are probably quite challenging for most of us as we drag ourselves out of bed to begin the new working week, couple that with some financial upheaval this week and severe flooding, all on Monday, and I can see where they are coming from.
However, this “most depressing day of the year” is not a new claim.

A couple of years ago, a scientist at Cardiff University, Cliff Arnall, developed a formula for calculating the most depressing day of the year. His formula expresses the relationship between poor weather, post-Christmas debt, time passed since the yuletide indulgence, failed new year resolutions, motivation levels, and the need to have something to look forward to. It looks something like this:

1/8W+(D-d) 3/8xTQ MxNA. Where:
W: Weather
D: Debt
d: Money due in January pay
T: Time since Christmas
Q: Time since failed quit attempt
M: General motivational levels
NA: The need to take action

(care of BBC News)

In fact, as well as having its own scientific formula, the most depressing day of the year appears to have a name – “Blue Monday”. There is even a website where you can find a list of 10 things you can do to beat Blue Monday.

The suggestions appear to be a pretty good way to counter that Blue Monday feeling. However, while creating a little bit of the beach in your home or office may take your mind off the weather, talking to a friend or sharing your thoughts with others will prove that you are not alone when it comes to over indulging at Christmas but may help you find the will power to stick to your resolutions, what do you do about that post-Christmas debt?

It is about now that credit card bills start dropping through the letter box and pay day is still a few days away for many of us. Do you know that many people will still be trying to recover financially from Christmas 2006 let alone take stock of what they have spent over Christmas 2007?

If you are worried at all about your financial circumstances, there are plenty of organisations who offer free, impartial advice, such as The Debt Helpline.
Whoever you decide to contact, make sure that you talk to an expert who understands that no set of circumstances are exactly the same and is prepared to tailor a solution that is right for you. Don’t feel you have to agree to what they propose. Shop around and do what is best for you.