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Blue Monday Is Upon Us: Here's How to Handle the Winter Blues
Winter has a way of quietly draining your usual drive. You're still showing up and performing, but mornings feel heavier, and focus takes more effort. If you've noticed this shift, you're not alone, and you're not doing anything wrong.
The winter blues often show up as subtle but noticeable changes in energy, motivation, and mood. You may still be meeting deadlines and keeping up with responsibilities, yet even small tasks take more effort than usual. Some people notice a pull to retreat from social interactions or the activities that normally energize them. Basically, your couch suddenly seems like a soulmate.
These experiences are a natural response to shorter days, reduced sunlight, colder weather, and changes in routine. For people used to functioning at a high level, these shifts can feel especially frustrating because they contrast so sharply with your usual drive and productivity.
Recognizing the winter blues for what they are—not a personal failing, but a seasonal challenge—creates space for self-compassion and practical strategies. Below are five therapist-backed ways to support your mood during winter. These aren't about "fixing" yourself or pushing through. They're about working intentionally with your energy, your habits, and your needs during a season that asks something different of us.
1. Move in Ways That Support You
Try this: Each morning, ask yourself, "What movement would feel supportive today?" Then do that, even if it's just 10 minutes.
Movement is one of the most reliable ways to support mood, but in winter it can feel harder to access. When energy is low, many high achievers fall into all-or-nothing thinking: if I can't exercise the way I usually do, it doesn't count. A 10-minute walk counts. Yes, really.
Gentle, consistent movement is often just as effective. A brisk walk outdoors during daylight hours, stretching in the morning, yoga, or a shorter workout can help maintain energy and mood without adding pressure. The goal isn't to push your body, it's to stay connected to it. Instead of asking what you should do, try asking what would feel supportive today. This small shift reduces resistance through the winter months and saves you from spiralling into guilt over skipping the gym.
2. Get Outside and Engage with Winter
Try this: Schedule three 10-minute outdoor blocks this week. Walk around the block, sit on your front step with coffee, or notice the winter landscape on your commute.
Most people cope with winter by minimizing exposure: staying indoors, waiting for spring, putting life on hold. While understandable, this can increase feelings of stagnation and low mood. Engaging with winter in some way can change that experience.
Brief outdoor time in winter conditions (even when it's cold) can restore momentum and agency. If you're willing to go further, activities like skating, skiing, snowshoeing, or winter hiking can help you feel more connected and alive during the colder months. Taking a moment to notice winter landscapes or the crisp air can be surprisingly refreshing.
You don't have to love winter, but meeting it with curiosity rather than avoidance makes a difference. I've seen clients shift from dreading the season to finding small moments of appreciation, and it genuinely affects their mood and energy.
3. Stay Socially Connected
Try this: Text one person right now and put something on the calendar for this week. A 20-minute coffee, a walk-and-talk, or a standing weekly call. Treat it like a client meeting, it doesn't move.
When energy dips, social connection is often the first thing to go, especially for people who are used to managing things independently. But isolation intensifies the winter blues, even if you don't immediately notice it.
Connection doesn't have to be elaborate or draining. A weekly coffee, a walk with a friend, or a regular phone call can be enough to feel grounded and supported. Meaningful connection reminds us that we don't have to carry everything alone. In therapy, I often see people underestimate how much this matters, until they try it and notice the shift.
