Beat the winter blues – here’s how

The days are getting shorter and temperatures are cooling off rapidly, which can only mean one thing – winter is on our doorstep.

As we all know, winter does not only come with shorter days and low temperatures, it also turns most of us into grumpy people with a touch of the winter blues.

Because I also fall in this category, I searched for some tips on how to survive winter while patiently waiting for the glorious sunshine and warm days of summer.

So, despite the usual things you can do to stay warm, like layering your clothes, wearing beanies, scarves, gloves, thick socks and boots, here are a few other tips to help you through this time:

• Set winter goals
Set yourself a few inspiring goals or tasks suited for the winter months to brighten up each day with a sense of purpose. For each item on your list, create a step-by-step to-do list and allocate time for each. Then simply take the first step, and then the next – and soon you’ll arrive in spring with a great sense of accomplishment.

• Soak up the sunshine
With less sunlight in the winter – and consequently less vitamin D – our bodies feel more tired. Ensure you get some sunshine every day, even if it is just a 10-minute walk outside or finding a sunny spot outside or by a window to enjoy your coffee. It will lift your spirits and refresh your perspective.

• Take care
Take care of yourself by keeping your body and your space at a comfortable temperature. Moving your body also helps to beat the cold, so dedicate the winter months to finding your favourite indoor exercise, such as running on a treadmill, hopping onto the stationary bike, doing some yoga, or dancing. Make your winter comfort foods and drinks healthier.

• Catch up on jobs indoors
Winter is the ideal time to catch up on those jobs indoors you don’t want to do when you could be having fun in the sun. These jobs include repairs, maintenance and DIY projects, as well as filing paperwork and catching up on admin that has been piling up during the year.

• Broaden your knowledge
Make the most of the longer couch time by using it to broaden your knowledge, sharpen your abilities and learn a new skill. It could be time for catching up on your reading, watching videos (educational and entertaining), or immersing yourself in a new indoors hobby, like building models, doing crafts or learning new cooking skills.

Let us know what you do to keep the winter blues at bay by sending an email.

Until next week, stay safe and look out for each other …