Five Ways to Beat the Blues this January
If you’re feeling lethargic and unmotivated, you’ll be surprised at just how much of a difference some fresh air and daylight will make.
This is especially important if you’re arriving at work before the sun comes up and leaving long after its set, so set aside some time in your day to get outside.
Whether you have a whole hour to step away from your desk at lunch, or pockets of time through the day to run for a bite to eat, every little counts. Of course if you’re working at IQL, you can make the most of flexible workspaces and outdoor meeting areas, just be sure to wrap up.
You’ve done a lot of socialising over the festive period so it’s alright to want some alone time. But once you’ve restored your inner zen, making relaxed plans with friends can give you quality time to catch up on all that Christmas party gossip.
Take the opportunity to find new places to spend time, be it in a new pub or bar, the perfect brunch spot or an eatery you’ve never frequented.
Change things up and break your normal routine with a new hobby. Bonus points if you can rope in your significant other or group of friends to keep you accountable!
It doesn’t need to be expensive either. You could set a goal to explore a new East London borough each weekend, organise a pub crawl down the waterways or keep a running tally of the best Sunday roasts in the area.
Shake things up at home too with a brand new menu for your weekly meals. Perhaps you’ve received a new recipe book for Christmas, or fancy recreating your favourite dish from a local restaurant.
Step things up by setting yourself the challenge of only buying seasonal produce, or ingredients you can purchase from a local market or independent store. The finished product will taste even better for the effort you’ve put into it!
It can be easy to forget the perks of where you live after you’ve been there a while. The usual tourist spots become somewhere you sent visiting friends and somewhere to avoid at peak times.
Perhaps once of the best things about January, is that most tourist attractions will be quieter than the peak winter and summer months so you can avoid crowds of school children, tourists and excited toddlers. There are even some attractions that are free including popular walks, trails and play areas in local parks.
The popular ArcelorMittal Slide in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park offers a small discount for tickets bought online in advance, so if you haven’t experienced the ride for yourself then this could be the time to try it.