Speaking calendar/Blue Monday
19 January (Movable) · Psychology & Wellness

Blue Monday

Calculated by a psychologist using a specific formula (weather + debt + time since Christmas + broken resolutions), Blue Monday is famously known as the most depressing day of the year. While some call it a marketing trick, it has become a vital annual opportunity to discuss mental health, the impact of the seasons on our mood, and the commercialisation of happiness.

SPEAKING LESSONB1 / B2Discussion · Vocabulary · Activities
01 / LET’S TALK

Speaking Discussion

  1. Do you think a specific day can actually be the most depressing, or is it just a clever marketing trick to sell holidays and products?
  2. How do you personally deal with the winter blues after the excitement of the holiday season has faded away?
  3. Have you ever broken a New Year's resolution within the first two weeks of January? Why is it so difficult to maintain new habits?
  4. What is the best way to cheer up a friend or colleague who is clearly having a terrible day?
  5. Does the lack of natural sunlight during the winter months heavily affect your mood and productivity?
  6. In your opinion, does modern society put too much pressure on us to be happy and productive all the time?
02 / PUT IT INTO PRACTICE

Activity 1: The Happiness Toolkit

The Task: You are a Wellness Coach. Design a mental health survival kit for a rainy Monday. What are 5 items or activities you would include?

from the sidebar.

Activity 2: Rapid Fire Sentences

Complete the sentence and justify it in 20 seconds.

  • "The best cure for a bad mood is..."
  • "I think New Year's resolutions are..."
  • "In my opinion, the most difficult month of the year is..."