Fighting the Post-Christmas Blues

January: we’re skint, we’re bored and we’re having withdrawals from not eating eight Ferrero Roche for breakfast anymore. It’s easy to end up feeling a bit miserable once the Chrizzy decorations have come down and we’re thrust back into plain old winter, but the January blues don’t have to engulf us completely. How, you ask? Well, this is how…

Embrace Hygge

I know a lot of people are already sick of hearing about hygge, but I’m not one of them so deal with it. If you don’t know what it is yet, then it’s essentially a Danish concept about getting joy from the simplest cosy activities in life. Blankets, hot drinks, roaring fires, snuggling up, lighting candles = all very hygge. And I think that a month when we’re all skint and the weather’s so miserable we’re practically housebound anyway is the perfect time to get on board with it.

So, rather than having a little cry because you’re stuck in on a Saturday night on your own, embrace it. Enjoy the chance to properly sit back and relax, rather than forcing yourself into Spanx to socialise like you do most other Saturdays of the year. Light some candles, crack open a new book, cosy up with a hot drink and hygge your night away. I recently got the Nescafe Dolce Gusto Movenza*, one of those fancy automatic pod coffee machines, and it is PERFECT for adding to the hygge vibe. Treating yourself to a cafe-quality Latte Macchiato or Chococino in your own home feels super luxurious, and it’s also perfect for whipping out when you have visitors too (giving your visitors impressive hot drinks in cute mugs = also very hygge).

Make Plans for 2017

One thing that always cheers me up, regardless of what time of year it is, is planning trips and activities for the months ahead. Even if you don’t have the money to book anything right now, just getting some dates in the diary and ideas of places you might go can give your mood a massive boost. Also, a lot of hotels or apartments I’ve stayed in have been the ones where you reserve the room and then pay when you get there, so you could actually book your trips without having the cash to pay right now. And it doesn’t always have to be extravagant trips away – agree a weekend when you’re going to visit your friend from uni, or book tickets to see a comedian in a couple of months. Just having things in your diary to look forward to will instantly lower your urge to flush your head down the toilet out of boredom.

Pamper Yourself

Again, if you’re going to be spending time in your house then you may as well make it productive. Take advantage of those goodies you received over Christmas to pamper your skin and hair – let’s face it, after drinking solidly from your work Christmas party in early December right through to New Years Day, you probably need it. Lately I’ve been loving putting some new products to the test, such as the organic, clay face mask from Facetox* and the Soap and Glory Speed Plump Moisturiser, which I got in a set for Christmas. I also received the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, which I can’t wait to try out, and the Instant Whites 7 Day Whitening System*. If you can’t afford to go for something big like a new hair colour in January, then little mini-makeovers from products like these are ideal.

Get Healthy

Duh, this one was bound to be included, wasn’t it? Cliche as it is, January is the perfect month to kickstart a new fitness regime and overhaul your eating habits. Unless you have the willpower of a god, you’ve probably gorged on cheese and chocolate over the festive period, and might have entered 2017 vaguely resembling a potato. I know I have – and not a cute little new potato, but a massive spud. As such, I’ve got myself fully back on the wagon – I’ve re-downloaded My Fitness Pal to keep track of my calories over the day, and finally picked up Joe Wickes’ Lean In 15 for some healthy recipe ideas. Going to the gym also gives you something to fill your time with in January, and you’ll feel amazing once you start to notice the Christmas bulge sliding away (well, here’s hoping anyway).

These are my tips for beating the January blues, but what are yours? Let me know in the comments!

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