Beat Those “Winter Doldrums!"

As you read this blog, it’s probably the middle of winter. The last 10-11 months have likely seemed longer than usual due to the pandemic. Our daylight hours are increasing, little by little, but the daylight part of the day is still relatively short. Here in Iowa, winter typically brings lots of very cold weather, some snow, and on occasion, a day or two that are a delightful change from our typical days! It’s the time of year when we often get the “winter doldrums.” (Isn’t that a great word, by the way: Doldrums – defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “a spell of listlessness or despondency…”) What can we do to fight those winter doldrums? Well, for me, one thing that helps is finding something or sometimes PUTTING something in my life (or on my calendar) that I can really look forward to. For me, this can be something as simple as a day off or a visit with a friend. Before the pandemic, planning to see a good, just-released movie at the theater was also something I really looked forward to. Anything that is a positive force in your life can be something to look forward to. Make a list of things you enjoy and put some time in you schedule or on you calendar to do some of them!

Something else that helps me when I get the doldrums is to stay busy, so I don’t have as much time to think about how listless or despondent I feel. Find some enjoyable and helpful things to keep you busy. One idea is to find a way to help others. Whether that be reaching out to a grandparent or other relative, or a neighbor who has been stuck at home alone for a long time, or maybe a teacher or other school staff person, or a friend who is going through a rough patch, doing something for someone else is a win-win and will likely lift your spirits as well as theirs!

Another way to keep busy would be to do some career and college exploration. Think of this as a leisure activity, not a stressful “have to!” (Our mind set when we start on an activity will have a tremendous effect – positive or negative – on how we approach what we are doing.) If you don’t know a place to do this exploration, check out: my.act.org. This is a free career/college exploration site from ACT. It has some short career assessments (which you should take periodically – not just once), which then will connect you to career pathways and then specific careers that fit your responses to those assessments. You can also then explore colleges that have programs that lead to career pathways and specific careers in which you have an interest. If you think of this as a leisure activity – something just for you, to give you exciting ideas for your future, you will find this can be a very positive way to spend some time, keep you busy, and lift you out of those doldrums.

My last suggestion is to spend some time outside. Even when it’s cold out – especially if the sun is shining, but even if it isn’t – I have found more than ever in this last year that some fresh air can really lift my spirits. Take a stroll around the neighborhood or a power walk for even 15 minutes, and see how much that fresh air can help clear your mind of negative thoughts. If the sun is out, relish that cold, crisp air mixed with the warm rays of the sun and see if that might also help you feel better and give you some new energy to do whatever else you need or want to do that day.

Spring is coming, and I really believe better days are ahead, so try some of these suggestions (or others you can think of) to help you beat those “winter doldrums!” If you’d like an appointment with one of us to help you with the career/college exploration I mentioned, or for any of our other services, please call us at 877-272-4692.

Mary Joan - East Central Iowa ICAN Advisor