Ask the Coach - February 1st
By: Merrill Pierce
Dear Merrill,
I manage a team of 10 in a mid sized company locally. One of my responsibilities is to handle HR. I have some training in HR but most of my work is in finance. Recently a few of the team suggested that we as a company organize something to help folks get through the winter blues. I use a Verilux (Happy Light), when the sun doesn’t come out for days. I have even purchased a couple for the team. It helps. I would like to suggest some things people can do on their own as well as what we as a team can do to support one another. The company doesn’t have a large budget to support off-sites or team building exercises currently. Any suggestions or tips would be greatly helpful.
Thank you.
Sincerely, P.H.
Dear P.H.
The ‘ Winter blues" typically happen every now and then during the colder months and are very common. We may feel sad or want to stay bundled up at home, but we should still be able to function. Less daylight during the winter months can use many to feel less motivated and disengaged. You referred to the lack of light and the use of the Happy Light – something I highly recommend and use myself on those dreary dark days.
While you may not be able to change the weather or amount of daylight during the winter, you can practice good self-care to help you feel better.
Here are some tried and true suggestions.
Take a Break from the News
Being indoors more often means an increase in screen time. And if this time is spent consuming a non-stop news cycle, you may feel an increase in the winter blues. To help minimize stress, sadness, try to limit the amount of time you spend in front of the screen. If possible, schedule one hour or less for news. You can watch this in one sitting or break it up into chunks.
Boost Your Mood with Food
A simple change to boost your mood is to consider the food you eat. Consuming protein with breakfast, lunch, and dinner can enhance mood and prevent sugar and carb cravings later in the day.
Also, including foods high in vitamin D such as fatty fish, fish oil, and vitamin D fortified foods like milk, orange juice, breakfast cereal, yogurt, and other food sources can help balance mood. If you are not getting enough vitamin D in your diet or through sunlight, talk to your healthcare provider about taking a supplement, especially in the winter months.
Keep Up Your Sleep Routine
Sleep is a huge component of mood. Without adequate, regular sleep, our circadian rhythm can get disrupted. Do the following to improve your sleep.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
Follow a simple bedtime routine that signals rest, such as taking a bath, turning down the lights, or drinking a cup of herbal tea.
Expose yourself to light as soon as you wake up.
Sleep in a cool, dark room.
Don’t use electronics in your bedroom.
Write all your worry thoughts on a piece of paper before bed so that if you wake up in the night, you can tell your mind you don't need to worry because the thoughts are captured on paper and will be waiting for you to tackle in the morning.
Do Some Physical Activity
Physical activity has been shown to boost mood, decrease the symptoms of depression, and reduce stress. Start slowly and build up to 30 to 60 minutes a day, five days a week, of aerobic exercise, strength training, yoga, or other fitness-related activities.
It’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed, lethargic, and unmotivated to exercise when feeling depressed. So, instead of committing to one longer workout, break the time up into chunks.
For example, if your goal is to walk 30 minutes a day, divide the time into three mini-workouts of 10 minutes each. Take one walk in the morning, another in the early afternoon, and one before it gets dark.
Seek Out the Sun
Getting outside needs to be a priority during the winter months. Plan a team/group walk at lunch.
Being in the sunlight helps balance serotonin activity, increases melatonin production, balances your circadian rhythm, and increases vitamin D levels, which can lead to an improved emotional state.4
If you cannot get outdoors, move a chair, workstation, or kitchen table next to a window that gets sunlight. Aim to sit in this location for at least one to two hours a day. If one sitting is not possible, break the time into shorter chunks throughout the daytime hours.
And finally, I love the idea of developing a “Treat Yourself Well” list . Each member of the team can come up with 10-20 things that everyone can do to beat the blahs… once completed, these lists can be shared amongst the group and posted so that if someone is feeling low, there is always something they can look to do to improve the mood .Here are some examples of what can be on the list:
Read a book, to learn something that you don’t know about
Invent a new recipe!
Go for a walk with a friend who makes you laugh.
Hang out with one of your pets!
Go outside and breath – 5/5/5 breathing.
Listen to a guided meditation ( Mindful Movement on YouTube) is great!
Give yourself permission to take a nap.
Play a game you haven’t played in ages.
Make yourself an uplifting playlist and listen to it several times.
And remember, the winter months will come to an end and the feeling of regeneration will return in the Spring.
Best,
Merrill
