As many of us head back to work after an extended festive break, some are excited, buoyed on by our New Year’s resolutions, convinced that this year we’ll be healthier / happier/ insert your wish here!

But if you feel the gloom rising (perhaps you’ve got a long line of customers booking dream sunshine holidays whilst you’re stuck in the shortest daylight hours?) you might need to give yourself a little boost of joy.

The thing is that joy doesn’t always happen by accident, especially if we’ve got ourselves stuck in a gloomy rut. The antidote for gloomy days is to bring joy up your to-do list, to make it a priority. And it’s not frivolous, it’s a strategic approach to our working lives.

Firstly, think of things that bring you a little slice of joy, the stuff you can easily bolt-in to your everyday with minimum effort. Perhaps it’s starting a fresh notebook or drinking your favourite coffee whilst listening to your theme tune – whatever floats your boat! Aim for at least twice a day and these micro-moments will boost you and get you motivated to do the medium-sized stuff.

When you’re upgrading to the medium tier, think bigger in both time and energy inputs. Check out your diary and your projects list for what’s coming up. Perhaps you’d love to try a dance / gym / singing / pottery / art (pick your passion) class and that starts up in January, so get signed up. Or maybe there’s a juicy work project to dive into as the new season gets started.  Aim for a couple of these medium things a week, and don’t cancel them because you’re tired, or busy, or can’t be arsed. Do it even if you don’t feel like it beforehand, because you’re re-orienting yourself towards joy and that takes a little effort and perseverance. And you almost always feel better in the after than the dreaded before.

Then there’s the big, longer-term joy builders. The rare (perhaps once a quarter or twice a year) and magnificent things that keep us going through the harder times and those that give delayed gratification rather than the instant hit. Perhaps it’s working towards that big holiday you’ve planned for 2026 (having created so many dream trips for others, is it time to plan your own?). Or maybe it’s waiting for the bulbs you’ve just planted in your garden to start peeping through the soil when Spring arrives? Maybe there’s a work project or opportunity you want to get ready for, so investing in your career development right now will pay dividends in the future?

Whatever you choose to do to swap your gloom for joy (I’d recommend experimenting for the combination that works for you), you’ve got to schedule them. You just can’t get away from that bit I’m afraid. It’s crazy how joy just slides down your to-do list if it isn’t actively pushed up and prioritised. 

If you’d like some help to identify where you get your joy from and how to get more of it, you can check out Beth’s free downloads here.