UF Faculty Tips: Battling the Winter Blues

This year has brought many new challenges to the campus community, the country, and the world. University of Findlay faculty and staff came together to provide tips and tricks on handling this very unusual holiday season.

The holiday season can be a very stressful time of year. With colder weather and shorter days, the winter blues tend to set in. Jodi Firsdon, director of counseling services, suggests ways to keep the blues at bay in this segment of the short series of UF faculty and staff tips.

• Maintain your normal schedule and routine as much as possible over winter break. Use “to do” lists but make an effort to simplify tasks so you are less overwhelmed.
• Connect with safe and non-judgmental people within your support system. Consider connecting with others by volunteering or take a risk and reestablish a connection that you have been missing.
• Be gentle and kind with yourself. Allow feelings to surface, then acknowledge them. It may be helpful to journal about these feelings or express them creatively using art, music or poetry.
• Take a break when you need it. Walk away from a stressful encounter, allow yourself to have some alone time, go for a walk and clear your head. It is better to take a break, than say or do something you may regret later.
• Visualize things going right. Don’t anticipate a problem where one has not developed. Positivity can help reduce anticipatory worry.
• Focus on an attitude of gratitude. Misery and gratitude cannot occupy the same space in our mind.
• Stress can be contagious. Be mindful of who you are surrounding yourself with.
• A golden rule to getting along with others is to be responsible for how YOU behave. You have no control over anyone else. Walk away being satisfied with your actions and behaviors.
• If you continue to struggle maybe it is time to talk with a counselor about how to improve your mental health.

If you need someone to talk to or would like more information on counseling services provided by the University, visit the Counseling Services webpage, email counselingservices@findlay.edu, or call 419-434-4526. If you need immediate assistance, call the crisis hotline at 1-888-936-7116.