Blue Monday might have started life as a PR stunt, but the feeling it taps into still resonates for plenty of us battling through a cold, wet, miserable January.
Every year, timelines fill with talk of the so-called “most depressing day of the year”. This time around, the term surged again, with TikTok posts tagged #BlueMonday climbing to more than 68,600 – a 35% year-on-year rise, according to figures cited by the BBC.
The irony, of course, is that Blue Monday itself was never real.
READ MORE: Debunking Blue Monday: How a PR stunt became a global myth—and what marketers can learn
The term was coined in the mid-2000s by psychologist Cliff Arnall after he was commissioned by travel brand Sky Travel to produce a “scientific formula” explaining why people feel low in January. The equation was never peer-reviewed or scientifically validated. Its purpose to encourage people to book holidays during the post-Christmas lull.
Yet the idea escaped its origins. Repeated annually by media and brands, Blue Monday became shorthand for something many people genuinely experience – a mid-winter slump.
Sparked by a LinkedIn post from Prolific North managing director Alexandra Balazs about the January blues hitting “every single year”, the responses quickly filled with fun (and often furry) mood-boosters.
For Alexandra, the answer is simple: sunshine and dogs. She talked about planning warm-weather getaways and leaning heavily on cuddles from four-legged friends. Not a bad strategy, especially as she’s currently enjoying a well-earned week in the sun.
Following her lead, the Northern marketing community piled in with their own January survival tips.
Laura Kenny, a brand marketer, said she deletes her personal social media every January (LinkedIn presumably excluded), noting that somehow it “doesn’t feel as bleak when you can’t see everyone else on their holidays”.
Agency founder Tom Salmon swears by running in daylight and topping up with vitamin D – “run towards the sun, spring is just round the corner”.
Elsewhere, Felicity Griffiths shared plans to bring dog-therapy into the office, while Natalie Corner revealed she’d signed up to Borrow My Doggy for a regular canine mood boost. Yoga, stricter morning routines, gratitude diaries, fresh air and the promise of an upcoming city break also featured heavily.
Psychologists have long warned that labelling one day as “the most depressing of the year” risks oversimplifying mental health. There’s no evidence January sees a spike in clinical referrals, and low mood doesn’t run to a calendar.
At the same time, some experts argue that moments like Blue Monday can still be useful if handled lightly and responsibly. Campaigns such as “Brew Monday”, promoted by charities including Samaritans, aim to flip the narrative – using it as a prompt to check in, chat and connect rather than wallow.
Judging by the LinkedIn response, that’s exactly what’s happening for many of us. So, over to you.
How are you fighting the January blues? Is it dogs, running, yoga, deleting apps, booking a holiday, or something else entirely? Drop us your tips – and yes, we absolutely want the pictures 🐶☀️
