Fighting the January Blues in Your Office

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January can be a tough time of year for some people. Christmas has come and gone -- along with quite a few New Year's resolutions -- and there is not a very long list of exciting holidays and/or events until we reach the summer months, giving January the reputation for being "the most depressing month of the year.

This depressed feeling tends to get worse as workers get settled back into their work weeks and jobs. Many people suffering from depression at this time of year, say that even the thought of returning to work gives them anxieties and elevated stress levels. "It's a time of year when I catch myself questioning my job, my salary, my goals, and parts of my life," says software Technician Jerry Vitten. "When I begin thinking of these things, I start to get an anxiety that has me reassessing my purpose. Concentration becomes almost impossible." Vitten suffers from depression year-round, and is on medication to help him deal with the side effects of depression and anxiety. Even though his depression is being treated through medication, Vitten admits that depression is never completely gone, even with medication. "There is always a little tinge of anxiety that holds on when on medication," he says. "It is much better with the meds, but is always presence." Vitten also admits that he has noticed that those little "tinges" of anxiety and depression seem to get worse at the beginning of the year.

There are a few things you can do to help curb the January Blues in your office or workplace. First off, you have to remember that a lack of excitement, or anxiety about the upcoming extended-stretch of workdays until summer are key to causing the depression. Therefore, creating and implementing activities, events, and livening-up the atmosphere in the work-place can do quite a lot for bringing up morale.

The ideas to raise morale in the office are limitless, but depend on the culture and personal preferences of management and the employees. What counts, is that something is being done to break up the monotony of of the workplace, and a true attempt is being made to better the overall moods of employees. As you know, a happy worker is a productive worker.