Beating The January Blues On The Road
Unless you have some special occasion during January, there isn’t much fun about it. It’s cold, dark and Christmas has left us with a (much) lighter wallet than we’re used to! On top of all that, things at work might be a little more frantic, as we prepare for the year ahead and the aftermath of Christmas frenzy for the logistics industry!
Luckily, everyone feels pretty much the same as each other, meaning you’re not alone if you feel a little blue during the first month of the year.
Below, we’ve put together some of the ways in which you can beat the so-called ‘January blues’ whilst at work and on the road. We hope they can lift your spirits a little and help you keep on ‘trucking’ until the lighter mornings, and warmer evenings!
How to Beat the January Blues at Work
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Get as much daylight as possible
It’s essential to get vitamin D whenever you can. Getting daylight is essential to help improve your mood. Studies have found that there is a strong link between depression and a deficiency in Vitamin D. While you can’t control the weather, even on cloudy days, getting out and about will be beneficial for you.
If you work in an office, why not go for a walk during your lunch break to ensure you aren’t facing four walls all day? If you’re out and about driving, roll down your window and get as much fresh air as possible. Yes, there’s even scientific evidence that points to the benefits of this on mental health, too!
When overnight trunking, if you can, aim to wake up in time to catch some daylight before getting out on the road, or at least appreciate the sunrise and the morning air before heading off for some well-deserved rest.
Don’t forget to take breaks where you can, either. Service stations are there for a reason!
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Stay active
You probably know by know that there are endless benefits to keeping active – not for the body, but for the mind, too. While it might be difficult to keep to a strict exercise regime at work, particularly when your job involves sitting for long periods and driving, we would definitely recommend using some of your spare time to do something physical and get your body moving. Experts say that the optimal time per day for exercising is just 30 minutes, so you don’t need to do burpees for hours on end, just a regular amount of gentle exercise will get you feeling great. Take a walk to stretch your legs, or why not enjoy a light swimming session before or after work?
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Don’t make unrealistic resolutions
New Year’s resolutions aren’t for everyone. Some people love to make a long list of things they’d like to do to improve in the coming year, and that’s great! However, not everyone can be so stringent with themselves and that’s okay. Putting extra pressure on yourself to achieve a certain goal might do you more harm than good. January’s hard enough without expecting too much of yourself.
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Eat well
Diet and mental wellbeing have long been linked to one another. If you’re spending a lot of time on the road, and find yourself grabbing high-fat, ultra-processed snacks to keep you going, you might be doing yourself a disservice without realising it. One relatively easy way of improving your mental wellbeing is by eating healthily. They say the stomach is the “second brain,” after all!
Check out our previous blog on ways to keep healthy whilst on the road.
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Reach out if you’re struggling
The winter blues are a common occurrence, with roughly 3% of people in the UK suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). However, if you find yourself struggling to sleep, work, or do general everyday activities, you might want to go one step further and reach out to a professional. Remember, there’s no shame in seeking help. Head to the NHS website for help and advice.
At the Barnes Group, we take the welfare of our drivers seriously. We’d love to hear your tips and tricks for beating the January blues whilst on the road or in your office, why not let us know via our LinkedIn and Twitter pages?
