Research has found that one in three (30 percent) Brits think that FEBRUARY is more depressing than January, with freezing cold temperatures (62 percent), long dark nights (45 percent), lots of people with coughs and colds (41 percent) and waking up in the dark (40 percent) to blame.
However, according to the study by Skittles, Brits are a resilient bunch with the nation relying on a series of fail-safe mood boosters to power them through the winter gloom.
Watching your favourite film (32 percent) came top, followed by getting into bed with clean sheets (31 percent), eating a slice of cake (31 percent), enjoying a cup of tea and a biscuit (29 percent) and standing in the sunshine (28 percent).
One in four (26 percent) keep their chin up by slipping into a hot bubble bath (26 percent), ordering a takeaway (25 percent), booking a holiday somewhere hot (24 percent) and cuddling their pet (24 percent).
Other ways Brits bolster their mood until March, include scoffing sweets (22 percent), cooking a roast (15 percent), indulging in a spot of gardening (13 percent), looking through old photos (12 percent) and smiling at strangers (11 percent).
Three quarters (73 percent) suffer with the winter blues, with one in three (31 percent) admitting they are struggling more this year than previous years.
Ryan Pardo-Roques, Senior Brand Manager, Skittles said:
February is a month that Brits really struggle with, festivities are a distant memory and the summer feels far away. People also have less money to spend, the nights are still long and the weather is cold.
We’ve also found people are turning to non-conventional methods of bringing motivation and joy into their lives such as saying positive affirmations to themselves.
Ryan Pardo-Roques, Senior Brand Manager, Skittles
Two thirds (62 percent) say keeping motivated is the key to beating the winter blues, whilst 68 percent believe that achieving small goals has become more important than big life milestones.
One in three (28 percent) admit that they need something to boost their mood ahead of the summer, while a quarter (24 percent) think their family and friends get them through the winter months. One in five (22 percent) confess that it takes them a few months to go into the year.
A fifth (22 percent) wish that there were more exciting things to do in February, while four in ten (44 percent) agree that the winter months have the most negative impact on their well-being.
One in three (31 percent) have motivational quotes displayed in their home or as their phone background, with the average Brit having five around them. One in ten (13 percent) say they make a huge difference to their daily motivation and help set them up for the day, while a third (33 percent) admit that they make them smile and give them a quick boost.
Setting small goals (53 percent) and targets that can be achieved daily (34 percent) help to keep the nation motivated. A sixth (15 percent) prefer to have one big target to work towards or give themselves a pep talk (15 percent). One in ten (11 percent) manifest a positive day.
Workplace Wellbeing Professional is an online magazine featuring news and analysis on a broad range of employee wellbeing topics, focused on a UK based audience.