Winter can feel long. With the buzz of the festive season behind us and spring not yet on the horizon, January and February can be particularly challenging. It’s cold outside and daylight is in short supply, but what if, instead of wishing it away, we approached winter a little differently? Some of these ideas may be a little unexpected or unconventional, but they are all grounded in what we know about psychology.
1. Work with winter, not against it
Shorter days and longer nights naturally make us feel like slowing down – and that’s not a flaw, it’s biology. Yet, in a society that places so much value on productivity, we can find ourselves resisting the call to rest. Productivity has its place, but no one can keep up the same pace all the time. Even the natural world around us takes a break during winter.
Rather than pressuring yourself to keep going, to push through, or to fill the spaciousness of the winter months with action and distraction, try embracing the call to slow down a little. Small rituals can make this time of year feel cosy and restorative: hot drinks, early nights, warm baths, reading by lamplight, journalling your thoughts, taking some time just for you.
Rest is not laziness. We not only deserve rest, we need it – sometimes we don’t realise quite how much until we loosen our grip a little. Instead of wishing winter away, think of it as permission – if you needed it – to recharge and restore.
