{"id":45746,"title":"Blue Monday\u2026 and Its Sneaky September Cousin","description":"Blue Monday was born in 2005 from a travel company\u2019s marketing stunt.  They claimed they\u2019d found the \u201cmost depressing day of the year\u201d using a formula: bad weather, Christmas debt, failed resolutions, and low motivation = book a holiday.  Total pseudoscience, but it stuck because, well, January is a mood-killer","content":"<p>Blue Monday was born in 2005 from a travel company\u2019s marketing stunt. They claimed they\u2019d found the \u201cmost depressing day of the year\u201d using a formula: bad weather, Christmas debt, failed resolutions, and low motivation = book a holiday. Total pseudoscience, but it stuck because, well, January <em>is<\/em> a mood-killer. Dark mornings, post-Christmas bills, and abandoned resolutions don\u2019t exactly scream motivation.<\/p><p>But let\u2019s be real \u2014 doesn\u2019t September feel suspiciously similar? You\u2019re back from holiday, your inbox is a war zone, the tan fades faster than your will to attend another meeting, and suddenly you\u2019re pricing city breaks \u201cjust to cope.\u201d Call it Blue Monday\u2019s sneaky cousin.<\/p><p>So what do you do? Get daylight, move your body, tackle money stress head-on, and reframe those \u201cfailed\u201d resolutions as progress-in-disguise. Stay connected, add small joys (yes, biscuits count), and make your space cosy enough to trick yourself into liking it.<\/p><p>Whether it\u2019s January or September, remember this: Blue Monday might be marketing nonsense, but low motivation is real. You\u2019re not broken, you\u2019re just human. Keep it light, keep it moving, and don\u2019t give the blues free rent in your head.<\/p><h3><img src=\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/ltadwz890tvaz8aui5ltz8a9bo96ykgrndecortltcqpr4gw.png.png?w=1140&amp;v=2\" alt=\"ltadwz890tvaz8aui5ltz8a9bo96ykgrndecortltcqpr4gw.png.png?w=1140&amp;v=2\" \/><\/h3>","urlTitle":"blue-monday","url":"\/blog\/blue-monday\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/blue-monday\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/thestroppycolleague.com\/blog\/blue-monday\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1737265689,"updatedAt":1757315669,"publishedAt":1757315669,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":292132,"name":"The Stroppy Colleague"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/3codjrftwloxz1uvmifsejs0tg917tyu08u6iv311vtujbrd.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/3codjrftwloxz1uvmifsejs0tg917tyu08u6iv311vtujbrd.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/3codjrftwloxz1uvmifsejs0tg917tyu08u6iv311vtujbrd.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"blue monday","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":42101,"title":"Discovering the Right Job for You (Without Losing the Will to Live)","url":"\/blog\/discovering-the-right-job-for-you\/","urlTitle":"discovering-the-right-job-for-you","division":292132,"description":"Finding the right job isn\u2019t just about paying the bills \u2014 it\u2019s about protecting your sanity.  The dream is - something that fits your skills, values, and goals without making you want to weep into your keyboard every Monday morning.  Easier said than done, yes, but it starts with getting a bit stroppy with yourself and asking the uncomfortable questions:What am I good at?What actually matters to me?What do I want my work life to feel like?&nbsp;This will also be me, as I\u2019ll soon be looking for my next PA\/EA contract! Yikes!&nbsp;Start With Self\u2011Awareness&nbsp;Maybe you\u2019re brilliant at problem\u2011solving, creative chaos, or being the only person in the office who understands spreadsheets","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/buxuldwdaydeyivziengmwa66tr5tqgvcoyvjjspskv7zudb.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/buxuldwdaydeyivziengmwa66tr5tqgvcoyvjjspskv7zudb.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":52508,"title":"Monday Off, Bliss On","url":"\/blog\/the-stroppy-colleague-monday-off-bliss-on\/","urlTitle":"the-stroppy-colleague-monday-off-bliss-on","division":292132,"description":"There\u2019s something deliciously rebellious about having a Monday off, isn\u2019t there? When everyone else is trudging to their desks, wrestling with their inboxes, and pretending to be delighted by their Teams notifications \u2014 ping! \u2014 I\u2019m still in my dressing gown, sipping coffee that\u2019s gone cold but somehow still tastes like freedom. No meetings.  No \u201cquick calls","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/kd2dbojyby7ckd8gjknl7rkqefitwbilzaji0ej85yrtefxp.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/kd2dbojyby7ckd8gjknl7rkqefitwbilzaji0ej85yrtefxp.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":42315,"title":"Surviving Annoying Colleagues and Work Stress (Without Flipping a Desk)","url":"\/blog\/dealing-with-annoying-colleagues-and-work-stress-without-causing-a-scene\/","urlTitle":"dealing-with-annoying-colleagues-and-work-stress-without-causing-a-scene","division":292132,"description":"Some days at work feel like an Olympic sport in patience.  Between Tina chewing an apple from 9\u20135, the endless pre\u2011meets, the circle\u2011backs, the \u201cquick\u201d catch\u2011ups, and the actual meetings, it\u2019s easy to imagine yourself flipping a desk and walking out in slow motion.  Tempting \u2014 but not ideal for your career, your bank balance, or your holiday fund","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/jb8ezmm8vnpicnpo5l84t5u5mvzvb81j2qvvo3ddtsbn3xfq.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/jb8ezmm8vnpicnpo5l84t5u5mvzvb81j2qvvo3ddtsbn3xfq.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}