Career Depression Is Worst In January, Here's Why...

I read recently the third Monday in January has a high suicide rate. People get very depressed in January. The post-holiday blues run deep. I see it a lot in my work. It's why I host a 21-day challenge every year. It's my way to keep people positive and moving forward during this time. But, this year, it's the worst I've seen it.

Career depression is at an all-time high right now.

Millennials are severely underemployed. Older workers feel displaced. Everyone wants their job to have more purpose and meaning. People are just so disenchanted and disengaged, they can't find the motivation to search for an alternative. Plus, the hard truth is only 3% of the population will every find the true career satisfaction they seek. It's sad. And now, it's January - the month when depression hits hardest. So, here's my advice:

Find 4 resources that make your brain light up (for the right reasons).

Today, we are lucky enough to live in a digital age where access to brain-stimulating resources is plentiful. That being said, your first step is to:

Get. Off. Facebook. The average American spends over an hour a day looking and liking on this platform. However, studies show it can make you more depressed to see everyone's (fake) happy lives which you mistakenly think are better than your's. Instead, replace it with four resources that will inspire you professionally.

Here's my personal list:

1) My Instagram Followers- I follow Tony Robbins, Gary Vaynerchuck, Tim Ferris, Arianna Huffington, Brene Brown, Richard Branson, and Dave Ramsey - just to name a few. My feed is filled with positive, constructive advice from these powerhouses. It's the first thing I look over coffee in the morning to set my mind straight.

2) Inc Magazine - I check the Twitter feed every morning for inspiring articles and get their top stories digest every night. The insight and tips they provide remind me I can do anything I set my mind to.

3) Fast Company - I love the innovation and creativity of the companies and people they feature. It proves to me there are so many different ways to be successful. I review their morning digest in my inbox.

4) Work It Daily - Of course I'm a fan of our own site. Breaking it down step-by-step in to bite-sized nuggets of information to inspire people to work on their careers everyday has been our goal since 2008. I'm so proud of this site and am obsessed with checking it out daily because I love not only the information we share, but how we share it.

Why only 4 resources? Because, there's no need to overdo it.

Yes, there are tons of other sites/resources that are interesting and likely very helpful. But, I only have so much time in the day to review them. I spend a 30 minutes every day going through the four resources above. It sets my mind right for the day. And, when I'm feeling a little stressed or down, I take a break and re-visit them. Self-motivation is a must-do if you want to win in your career. Just like teaching yourself to get un-angry, having a system and building habits to support consistent self-motivation is the key to success.

P.S. - How do you beat the career blues? I'd love to hear what resources you use in the comments below. Let's help anyone reading this that is struggling to find a way to stay positive and make through.

J.T. O'Donnell is a HR and career expert with 18+ years experience. She is the founder and CEO of Work It Daily, a site dedicated to helping people solve their own career problems. Sign-up for one of her free webinars today (click here) to learn more about getting out of your career rut.