Blue Monday at work

Myth, mood or missed opportunity?

Every January, it shows up right on cue.

A headline declaring “the most depressing day of the year”.

A flurry of wellbeing posts.

A few well-meaning reminders to “be kind”.

And then… everyone carries on as normal.

So what is Blue Monday really? A total myth? A genuine dip in mood? Or something work has quietly missed the point on?

Short answer: it’s complicated.

Long answer: let’s talk about it.

First things first: Blue Monday isn’t science

Blue Monday was originally dreamed up as part of a PR campaign. Not a peer-reviewed study. Not a groundbreaking piece of psychological research.

There’s no magic formula that proves one specific Monday in January is worse than all the others. Life doesn’t work like that.

But — and this bit matters — just because the concept is shaky doesn’t mean the feeling is fake.

The January slump is very real

Post-holiday comedown? Real.

Dark mornings and darker evenings? Real.

Credit card bills arriving with zero warning? Painfully real.

January can feel heavy. Motivation dips. Energy drops. And for many people, work starts to feel louder, faster and more demanding just as personal resilience is running low.

That doesn’t make everyone “depressed”. But it does mean plenty of people are a bit flatter than usual — and that shows up at work.

Why work can make it worse (or better)

Here’s where employers come in.

For some people, work becomes another source of pressure in January. Unrealistic expectations. No flexibility. A return to full speed without any space to breathe.

For others, work can be a stabiliser.

Routine. Purpose. Connection. A reason to get out of bed when motivation is wobbling.

The difference? Culture. Leadership. And how seriously wellbeing is taken beyond awareness days.

The problem with performative wellbeing

Blue Monday often triggers a familiar response:

1. A single Slack message about “checking in”
2. A wellbeing post on LinkedIn
3. Maybe a free biscuit in the kitchen

Nice gestures. But if they’re not backed up by everyday behaviours, they land hollow.

People don’t need one “kind” day a year.

They need consistent signals that how they feel at work actually matters.

So… missed opportunity?

Honestly? Yes.

Blue Monday could be a moment to do something more meaningful. Not dramatic. Not expensive. Just human.

Things like:

1. Managers having real check-ins, not tick-box ones
2. Flexibility where it’s needed
3. Permission to ease back into the year, rather than sprint
4. Normalising lower energy days instead of pretending they don’t exist

None of that requires a campaign. It requires intention.

Mood over myth

Blue Monday doesn’t need to be feared, fixed or hyped up.

It’s not about declaring everyone miserable. It’s about recognising that January can be tough — and that work has a role to play in how people experience it.

Get that right, and days like Blue Monday stop being a headline. They become a reminder.

A reminder that culture isn’t built on big gestures.

It’s built on what you do when nobody’s watching — including on a cold Monday in January.

And that feels like an opportunity worth taking.