Is This Monday the Most Depressing Day of the Year? Or Just Another PR Stunt?
Ah, Blue Monday. The third Monday of January, crowned “The Most Depressing Day of the Year.” A title so grim it might as well come with a soundtrack of sad trombones and the sound of rain hitting your windows. But where did this gloomy tradition come from? And is it really as bad as everyone makes it out to be?
Let’s rewind to 2005 when Cliff Arnall, a psychologist and self-proclaimed “freelance happiness guru” (yes, that’s a real job title), was hired by a PR firm to figure out the most miserable date on the calendar. His mission? To sell vacation packages, of course. So, with a pseudo-mathematical formula that factored in things like dreary weather, post-holiday debt, waning motivation, and the sheer “meh” feeling of January, Blue Monday was born.
Now, I don’t know about you, but this feels less like groundbreaking science and more like something whipped up on the back of a napkin at a sad café. “Let’s see… gray skies? Check. Christmas credit card bills? Check. Monday? Double check. Congrats, you’re miserable!”
Here’s the kicker: even Arnall himself has admitted that this whole “most depressing day” thing is, well, kind of nonsense. He later confessed that the concept isn’t exactly helpful—unless, of course, your goal is to create a self-fulfilling prophecy where people wake up, remember it’s Blue Monday, and immediately spiral into despair.
Arnall has since pivoted his message, saying we should use this day to “gain perspective” on our lives. Which is a nice thought, but also feels a bit like trying to put glitter on a gray cloud.
So, is Blue Monday really the most depressing day of the year? Honestly, probably not. If you’re feeling down today, it’s likely because January is a cold, post-holiday slog where all the twinkling lights are gone but your credit card balance isn’t. And if you’re not feeling down, congratulations! You’re one step ahead of the PR firm that convinced the world to collectively wallow for a day.
Maybe instead of buying into this “most depressing day” hype, we can flip the script. Use today to check in with yourself, set some small goals, or just indulge in something that brings you joy (I’m looking at you, chocolate). After all, Mondays are hard enough without adding a depressing title to the mix.
So, grab a coffee, take a deep breath, and let’s get through this totally average Monday together. Because if there’s one thing we don’t need, it’s a PR stunt messing with our moods.