How can you change things?
This is because it will have been “statistically” proven to be the most depressing date of the year.
The factors taken into account to provide the calculation include the average daily temperature, the days elapsed since the last pay day, days until the next bank holiday, average hours of daylight and the number of nights in during the month.
Subsequent calculations have also included variables including debt levels as the first repayments are often due from borrowing associated with Christmas spending and general wellbeing and mood indicators.
The first thing to recognise is that the first media campaign publicising the Blue Monday phenomenon was working for a holiday company so they were able to give it some pseudo-scientific window dressing in order to get people to feel more depressed and book a holiday to cheer themselves up!
Now it’s become a handy peg to hang any promotion for products designed to boost happiness or encourage self-improvement such as fitness items, vitamins and other wellbeing products.
Other organisations have been taking advantage of the awareness of the day too – and doing some good.
Last year, the Samaritans handed out free cups of tea to commuters at railway stations around the country encouraging them to share a cuppa with someone in their office who might be feeling lonely.
The “Brew Monday” campaign highlighted the importance of positive mental health and battling depression and loneliness at an undeniably tough time of year.
There are tough days but also some good days
All of this has gone on previously without considering the ongoing pandemic and restrictions which have decimated various sectors and put pressure on every business whether they’ve been able to continue to trade during the various lockdowns.
It might be impossible to statistically pinpoint the “saddest” day of the year but one of the reasons that Blue Monday gets so much traction and attention in the media and in conversations is because it feels like it is.
One thing good communicators understand is that in some arguments and campaigns, you need to harness the power of feelings as alone, facts just don’t cut it by themselves.
It can be the same when you’re trying to run your own business.
Regardless of what your cash flow, balance sheets and accounts are telling you, if you still believe in your business and that it’s currently undergoing a temporary downturn or it’s on an unforeseen run of bad luck then you’ll be unlikely to take appropriate action no matter what the facts on the ground are.
Act while you can
Having faith in your mission and purpose doesn’t mean you can’t do anything except keep your fingers crossed that things will turn around.
You can look at the evidence and still maintain that your company is a viable one in better circumstances – but you can always make the right choices required.
If you arrange a free virtual consultation with one of our experienced, expert advisors they can help you choose the best course of action for your company based on your unique circumstances.
We can help you give your business the best chance of survival and eventual success if there is a practical way forward that can be found. We can also discuss the options if things have realistically gone too far in the other direction.
If you make the right decisions at the right time then you can look forward to the future with far fewer blue Mondays on the horizon.