7 ways to beat the February Blahs (and keep your business thriving)
It’s all too easy to feel a bit down in the middle of winter. The days are short, the weather is cold, we get less exercise, we gain weight, and we hibernate. We’ve had weeks and weeks of cold weather and we know there are probably still several weeks more to come.
All of that can add up to what is often referred to as the February Blahs. And that’s what I want to talk about today because, in addition to affecting you personally, they can also affect your business.
I see many business owners “slowing down” at some point in January or February. Many of them blame it on the winter, and it can be hard to get yourself back into gear. We often just don’t feel like doing much. For our personal lives, this can lead to feeling down, lethargic, or isolated. For our businesses, it can lead to us feeling less like working, or not working as efficiently as we normally do.
All of that can affect our business’ bottom line. So let’s talk about some ways to keep you, and your business, healthy during these cold, wintry months.
1. Maximize natural light
Science has shown the effect that lack of sunlight can have on our moods. It can lead to stress, anxiety, and even depression. That’s because the UV light in sunlight stimulates the production of various chemicals in our bodies. One of those is serotonin, a brain chemical which helps regulate our moods. In winter, when we get less sunlight, we might not produce quite as much serotonin, and that can negatively affect our outlook.
All those extra dark hours in winter also cause our bodies to produce more melatonin—a chemical that makes us more lethargic and helps us sleep.
Sunlight is also necessary for the production of vitamin D, a substance that affects us both physically and mentally. Vitamin D helps our bodies absorb calcium, gives us energy, boosts our immune system, and lowers our blood pressure. It also appears to play a role in keeping our mood positive.
So you want to find ways to maximize the amount of sunlight you are exposed to in winter. If you can, put your desk beside a window. This has a few advantages. It provides light—natural light—which helps boost your mood. Even if your window filters out some of the UV light, I find that just being in a room bright with daylight lifts my spirits.
A window also provides a connection to the outdoors. Even though you are still inside, you can see nature, and that can have a calming effect. If the weather is nice, you can even open the window a bit. You’ll get some fresh air, which is always invigorating!
A window also gives you something to look at if you need take a short look away from the computer screen to rest your eyes.
Another way to make sure you get enough light is to spend time outdoors, especially when the sun is out. Now, I know it can be hard to motivate yourself to get outside when it’s -20˚, but try to make a sincere effort. I always feel more energized after a walk outdoors, even when it’s cold!
2. Spend time in nature
Studies have demonstrated the healthy, calming effect that comes from spending time in the great outdoors. I find it’s a great way to rejuvenate. In winter, the cool air is refreshing. And there’s just something wonderfully serene and calming about walking in a woodland in winter. You don’t have to go far—most cities have plenty of greenspace you can take advantage of.
If you are more adventurous, go somewhere in the country. Even if it’s too cold to do much outside, you can always take a drive! I find that getting into the country—even if it’s just driving—soothes me. It’s like a stress reduction session, after which my head is clearer, and I’m able to focus more effectively.
3. Watch what you eat
Most of us tend to eat more carbohydrates in winter. It’s probably part of all animal’s natural tendency to “store up” energy for the cold months. So it’s easy to put on some extra pounds. But that extra weight can lead to more lethargy. Even if you don’t gain weight, carbs just tend to make us feel tired.
We also may not eat as many vegetables as we should. For some, that may be because they tend to cost more in the winter. Or it may be that our tendency to eat more carbs means we have less room for veggies, or makes them less appetizing to us.
So try to make an extra effort to eat healthy food in winter. Eating healthier will give you more energy, and that means you will be fresh and focussed when you start your work day.
4. Take time to socialize
In the middle of winter, many of us might want to stay home and hibernate more than we would in the warmer months. But all that isolation isn’t good for us. We need at least some regular time with other people to keep us stimulated, and to help fight off the blues.
You can socialize with friends or family, but business meetings are also a form of socializing. Rather than send yet another email to a client, why not try a video or phone call instead? It’s not just good for your mood, the personal touch helps build better business relationships.
As with other items in today’s article, socializing can really help keep your mood up in winter. And that mood boost translates into a better ability to tackle life, and the requirements of your business.
5. Build regular activity into your week
Most of us get less exercise in the winter than we do when the weather is nice. That’s detrimental to our waistlines, our moods, and our energy levels. And when energy levels are down, we tend to get less done in our businesses.
So, to keep your energy up, and your business moving forward, make sure to schedule regular exercise into your weekly routine. This can be any type of activity: indoor sports such as squash, volleyball, or badminton; outdoor sports such as skiing, snowshoeing, tobogganing; or even just walking or playing with the kids/grandkids—anything that will increase your activity level.
If you need more motivation to actually get out and exercise, get an exercise buddy. That not only makes it more likely you will do the exercise, it also puts an element of socializing into the activity.
If the weather is bad, you can still exercise with a buddy by opening up an online video session with them!
6. Spend time working at your hobbies
There’s a reason that so many hobby clubs meet in the winter months—that’s when most of us are more idle and feel the need to fill our time or get out and do something.
Hobbies help us feel better in a number of ways. First, they keep your mind active. Second, even if the hobby is something you do sitting down, such as woodcarving, it’s still a bit of physical activity. And, if it’s something you do with other people, such as playing cards, or attending a club meeting, there is a social aspect as well.
If you already have hobbies, make sure you take time in winter to spend time doing them. Or why not try something new? You don’t even have to join a club—just doing our hobbies at home helps keep our minds busy and adds interest to our sometimes hum-drum winters.
7. Start planning for spring
This is a psychological “trick” that can help keep your spirits up. The idea is to actively plan and prepare for something that will happen in spring. A good example is starting your garden indoors—instead of waiting for May, order your seeds in January and start some plants early by planting seeds in indoor pots. Other examples are planning your summer vacation, creating a design for a new deck, or going through your local sport centre’s course catalog to decide which courses you will enrol in for spring or summer.
Any such activities can help you stay positive because you now have a project that gives you some enjoyment. It also helps you focus a bit more on the coming spring, rather than the current winter.
* * *
I hope today’s article has given you some ideas to help you prevent/beat those winter blahs. Remember, any benefit you get personally (better mood, better health, more energy) will translate into a better business you!
Cheers,
Tim
Helping you engineer the business of you
Information in this article is for general information and is not intended as professional advice.