Workplace Wellbeing Academy News

Happy New Year! In this first newsletter of 2025 we return to what is rapidly becoming a tradition here at the Workplace Wellbeing Academy. This is an appeal to reclaim and rebrand January 20 from the present Blue Monday and frame a more optimistic viewpoint on the year ahead by renaming it Bright Blue Monday.

Blue Monday, often dubbed the "most depressing day of the year," has become part of the cultural background at this time of year. This designation, however, is not rooted in scientific evidence but rather in a marketing campaign that has taken on a life of its own.

The concept of Blue Monday can be traced back to a press release issued in 2005 by Dr. Cliff Arnall, a former lecturer at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom. Arnall claimed to have developed a mathematical formula that identified the third Monday in January as the most depressing day of the year. The formula took into account factors such as weather conditions, debt levels, time since Christmas, time since failing New Year's resolutions, and motivation levels.

However, several criticisms have been raised regarding the scientific validity of Arnall's formula. Many experts argue that the concept of a single "most depressing day" oversimplifies the complex nature of mental health and wellbeing. Furthermore, the mathematical formula itself has been widely discredited, with some noting that the variables used lack a solid scientific basis.

While Blue Monday may have started as a pseudo-scientific concept, it quickly gained traction through media coverage and marketing campaigns. Advertisers and companies seized upon the idea to promote products and services that promised to alleviate the supposed January blues. The widespread acceptance of Blue Monday as a legitimate phenomenon has led to an annual cycle of articles, social media posts, and promotions centred around combating the perceived gloominess. It has become part of our psyche.

Blue Monday may have originated as a catchy marketing concept, but its influence has far surpassed its dubious scientific foundations. It’s time to claim the day back.

Joins us as we seek to rebrand the 20th January 2025 as Bight Blue Monday. A day of new starts and renewal.? A day to forget about those broken New Year’s Resolutions; a day to take back some control of our lives and a day to celebrate and look forward with hope.?

Wear something bright blue or colourful.? Do something that will brighten your day and the day of those around you.? Tell a joke (even rehash a Christmas joke!), Say hello to a stranger, smile.? Celebrate life and positive moments. Dance. Sing.? Don’t make any big resolutions, just enjoy the day and seize it.?