Beating "blue Monday"
Posted 21 January 2008 at 5:16PM by Ian Betteridge in Connecting to the Internet
Today is "blue Monday", officially the most depressing day of the year. The combination of the debts run up over Christmas, the cold, miserable weather and the short days and long nights mean it's harder than ever to get out of your nice, warm bed in the morning.
Statistically, today is the day when most people's commitment to their current job falls to a new low. The energy levels are low, and even small things at work can make your employees wonder if it's time to move on. Not that many people actually do something about it, but low motivation levels hardly make for productive, happy employees.
You might think that, short of giving everyone the whole of January off, there's not much you can do to beat "blue Monday". But one thing which can help employees feel better about work - and do a more productive job in the process - is to implement flexible working. Letting your employees know that, if they want to, they can work from home if they don't need to be in the office that day is a simple way of combating the winter blues.
Of course, if people are going to be working at home you need to ensure that they have access to all the business IT systems that they need to do their job properly, from access to your company email and file systems possibly through to an extra phone line that's devoted to work.
BT has resources which can help you understand what you need to implement a good flexible working policy. You can find them on BT's business insight web site, in the section on working flexibly.
Tags: bt, bt broadbandoffice, flexible working, home working
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2. At January 22, 2008 9:58 AM, Dark Djinn wrote:
Blue Monday the most depressing day of the year??? Everyday has that potential and I don't even work on Mondays (you just have to know how to look beyond the little things that get to you to see the brighter picture - like looking beyond the grey clouds and seeing the shining sun)....although I do feel very sleepy on all the other days I work. I don't like getting out of my bed. Period! Even on weekends. And I don't wonder if it's time to move on from my job on Blue Monday...I wonder about that everyday. As to working at home...I would love to do that...although statistics show that I am at my active best after the clock runs on midnight...(might be difficult getting the other people in the office to work these hours). But it's a very good idea. Thank you Mr. Moderator sir!
3. At January 22, 2008 10:33 AM, Ian Jenkins wrote:
"Blue Monday"? It all really is in the mind! start thinking positive, if changes need making to help you feel less blue, set about making them. Often the fear of change overpowers the "stuck-in-a-rut" syndrome, we often feel on Mondays; or for a lot of self employed folk any of the other six days - (yup even today in the uk people often work the full 7!) For the future and to avoid every day becoming a "Blue Monday", the cure is simple: TAKE ACTION. stop dithering and change what makes you blue do it by degrees and start NOW!
Ian Jenkins Director www.accessentertainment.co.uk
4. At January 22, 2008 10:53 AM, Ade wrote:
I am all up for flexible working - would give me the chance to achieve that perfect life/work balance. I think as long as employee productivity levels are not affected, companies should seriously consider the option. Working from home would definitely be my cure to Blue Mondays, and Tuesdays, even Wednesdays, yep you guessed it - Thursdays too, and ..... lets not leave Fridays out!
5. At January 22, 2008 3:59 PM, Dark Djinn wrote:
Ian said: For the future and to avoid every day becoming a "Blue Monday", the cure is simple: TAKE ACTION. stop dithering and change what makes you blue do it by degrees and start NOW!
I say....siryessir! Aye aye cap'tin! I get right to it...on the double...full steam ahead....no slacking now...quick march and to time too...er...cap'tin? What exactly are we changing here?
6. At January 24, 2008 4:17 PM, Carl Lotter wrote:
I may be a sadist but I enjoy Mondays as I get to watch all the unhappy people in the office. Once you got the weekend chat out of the way, usually done on a Monday, I too find Teusday to be a bit of a bore. Lets face it though, everyday at work is spent thinking about how much better the day could be if you weren't in the office. Work isn't meant to be fun and if it is, your not working hard enough, lol. Now get back to it if your not on a break.
7. At January 29, 2008 12:42 PM, Ian Betteridge wrote:
I've got to admit that, despite having written the above post, I quite like Mondays too - and Tuesdays are the days which tend to find me a little bit flatter than my normal, boisterous self!
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1. At January 22, 2008 2:55 AM, Michael wrote: