BLUE MONDAY: Take action to turn your career around, says Coach Corinne

“It’s been a bad day, please don’t take my picture”. So sings Michael Stipe on the REM hit Bad Day.

But it’s not only pop stars who get down in the dumps.

We’ve all had a bad day at the office at one time or another, whether it’s due to problems with a co-worker, a barely-manageable workload, or an overly-demanding boss.

Are you having a bad day today? If so, join the club. It is, after all, Blue Monday.

Based on calculations on a number of factors such as the weather, debt level and failing new year’s resolutions, the third Monday in January is perceived to be the most depressing day of the most depressing month of the year.

Hang in there, though, because things aren’t quite as doomy and gloomy as they sound. Indeed, according to Corinne Mills, managing director of Personal Career Management and author of Career Coach: How To Plan Your Career And Land Your Perfect Job, there are steps you can take to beat the Blue Monday blues. First of all, you need to work out what’s not working career-wise,” says Corinne. “Sometimes you just feel kind of fed up with your job - and supposedly these feelings are intensified on Blue Monday. But actually, it might be that your job kind of works but there’s just something you’re not too keen on, or someone at work has irritated you.

“Sometimes there are small tweaks that you can do that can make a difference,” she continues. “The solution isn’t necessarily ‘out there somewhere’, it can be right under your nose.

“The first thing to look at is, ‘What are the small wins?’ What can you do today that might make a difference? That might be having a bit of a constructive chat with the colleague who’s been irritating you for months.

“You can rehearse this beforehand and make it a clear-the-air conversation.

“Say something like: ‘I’m making new year resolutions for 2018 and I’d really like to talk to you about how best we might work together in the year ahead’.

“It’s something positive and constructive - but actually, it sets the tone for going forward.”

“Equally, you might be resenting something your manager has done - and Blue Monday can be the day you straighten things out.“Go and have a civil

conversation with them to express a little bit how you are feeling,” says Corinne. “Just make sure you’re not angry when you have these talks - and make sure you rehearse it beforehand. Again, I think that clearing the air, rather than harbouring the 2017 resentment, is good for 2018. So make Blue Monday the day you tackle these issues.”