Blue Monday, the third Monday in January, is often referred to as the most depressing day of the year.
This is due to a combination of factors, such as the post-holiday blues, the end of the festive season, and the feeling of disappointment that often comes with not being able to keep our New Year’s resolutions.
As we try to maintain a balance between our work and personal lives, it can be challenging to take care of our health and deal with everything life throws at us.
But it’s important to remember that we’re not alone in this.
At Astute, we recognise the importance of supporting our staff and fostering a positive work-life balance.
Astute’s Head of People on Blue Monday
Sam Bradshaw, Astute’s Head of People, has a passion for supporting employee health and wellbeing.
Sam said, People are our central value and having a family friendly work-life balance is really important to us as a business.
“To support our staff, we offer a range of benefits such as our 9-day fortnight, flexible working, and enhanced maternity leave.
“These not only give peace of mind but encourage inclusive working practices.
“These benefits allow our employees to take the time they need to take care of themselves and their families, while still being productive in their working life.
As well as support internally, Astute are strong advocates in giving back to our local community.
We regularly support local charities and causes and encourage our employees to get involved in community activities.
You can see some of Astute’s charity initiatives here.
We understand that everyone is facing different challenges, but by working together and supporting one another, we can help each other through the difficult days.
We believe that by fostering a positive work-life balance and supporting our employees’ wellbeing, we can help to make Blue Monday and every day less daunting.
But it is not only at work where we can take care of ourselves, it is also important to have self care practices outside of work.
Some ways that you can look after yourself and reduce stress is by practicing mindfulness, doing physical activities, engaging in a hobby, getting enough sleep and taking time to relax.
There are many ways of taking care of ourselves and finding what works for you will take time and experimentation.
Remember to take the time to do what makes you feel good and balanced.
If you are struggling and not feeling like yourself, it’s always a good idea to reach out and talk to someone.
In conclusion, Blue Monday can be a tough day for many of us, but by taking care of ourselves both at work and outside of it, connecting with our colleagues and community, we can make it through.
For a conversation about life at Astute, connect with Sam on LinkedIn.
