In 2005, British travel company, Sky Travel, published a press release citing psychologist Dr. Cliff Arnall who described that the third Monday in January is the gloomiest of the year. The analyses used in the press release happened to be a great PR stunt for the company to promote their holiday deals, yet also had a deeper meaning behind it.
The National Day, does, however, show that many people have common symptoms in the month of January which sparks conversation across social media for brands, mental health charities, and more.
Blue Monday has often been linked to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is associated with seasonal changes in the winter month that affect our mood such as depression. Feelings of not being able to achieve what you wanted to, the pressure of planning for the new year, bad weather, and post-festive celebrations, Blue Monday is very real for people across the globe.
PR stunt or not, it is definitely a way to get people talking about their mental health problems, and therefore, we at ITP Live created the Blue Monday Challenge to get you back on your feet if you’re feeling down!
Post 1 – Post an image on your story of when you were genuinely happy.
Thinking about something happy and smiling automatically lifts up your mood and encourages others to share their happy stories or memories.
Post 2 – Write a nice comment on someone’s picture to make their day.
When you receive a compliment on your post, how does that make you feel? Return the favour to some of your followers and make your social media base stronger by connecting with your followers. Even reply back to comments on your own photos with gratitude. Making someone else happy will make you feel good too.
Post 3 – Record your favourite workout on TikTok with a friend.
According to a press release by American Psychological Association (APA), 53% of adults say they feel good about themselves after exercising, 35% say it puts them in a good mood, and 30% say they feel less stressed. There are numerous amounts of statistics to prove that a little workout or keeping active will boost your mood and make you feel great. Share a technique with a friend or on your own and motivate someone else to get moving!
Post 4 – Post one of your favourite achievements on Linkedin.
Linkedin is a great social media platform to promote your work and connect with others. Feel good about yourself by posting one of your achievements whether it be from many years ago or something recent, share it. Everyone likes a personal story and it shows a little more about who you are.
Make sure you get involved and tag us on social media @itplive if you do any one of the actions. Tag a friend and change your mood through the power of social media.