I don’t know if you’ve heard this before, but people have actually calculated the most depressing day of the year. Unsurprisingly, it’s a Monday.
The concept of ‘Blue Monday’ dates back to 2005 when Cliff Arnall, a life coach and happiness consultant, published a paper that contained a formula used to calculate the most depressing day of the year. The word ‘blue’ is used as a reference to the period when someone feels low after returning back to routine following a holiday period (such as January Blues).
Before we jump into details though, let’s just clarify that this post is made just for entertainment purposes. It goes without saying that Blue Monday is pseudoscience and should not be considered as genuine science in any way. Nevertheless, here’s the formula as published by Cliff: (the article continues after the ad)
W=weather, D=debt, d=monthly salary, T=time since Christmas, Q=time since failing our new year’s resolutions, M=low motivational levels, and Na=the feeling of a need to take action.
As you can see, the formula takes into account many factors such as the weather, a person’s debt, the time elapsed since Christmas (makes sense to me), our failing New Year’s Resolutions and feelings such as hopelessness and low motivation.
By using this formula, Cliff concluded that this day is usually the third Monday of January – which happens to be today (January 21, 2019). That being said, Blue Monday may be the second, the fourth or even the last Monday in January sometimes.
Of course, the saddest thing about Blue Monday is not the day itself but rather the fact that what started a decade ago as a PR invention is now considered a special day of the year. (the article continues after the ad)
So, what if you’re feeling depressed?
Well, depression is no joke and there are people out there that can help you. Talk to family and friends but if that’s not an option, be aware that there are charities out there ready to listen.
If you like what you read, then you will definitely love this one: The Real Reason Why It’s Called ‘Black Friday’
Photo: PDPics / Pixabay
Photoshop: I’m A Useless Info Junkie
Sources: What is Blue Monday 2018? Why it’s the most depressing day of the year and how to beat the January Blues | Blue Monday: a depressing day of pseudoscience and humiliation