3 Ways To Fight Off Blue Monday

1) Treat Yourself

Manchester is brilliant all year round, but it really comes into clutch throughout January as a huge amount of bars and restaurants come together to offer some incredible discounts through the month to keep us all afloat. Whether you’re feeling the pinch from an incredibly early pay-day, wanting to try and save some cash this year, or got a bit carried away over the festive season on the spending and are trying to reel it in this month, these discounts let you enjoy yourself without feeling guilty for the price.

There are loads of places to check out, but our two top recommendations have to be Lock 84, which is offering a mega 50% off food and drinks for the month, and Indian Affair, which is offering 25% off from Sunday to Thursday. We’re starving just thinking about heading down for an evening.

2) Get Out And About

We’re sure you’ve heard it before, but we stand by it – fresh air is great for the mind, and if you’re feeling a bit low going out for a mooch can make a big difference. Admittedly, we’re also going to recommend that you wrap up and get your biggest, warmest coat out, because we are in for a very cold month – but even with the winter weather, getting out in nature can really lift your mood and help to put things into perspective. Bring a mate or two along if you can, or head out solo if they’re not ready to brave the cold – we’ve picked a few outdoorsy spots to visit, but you can head near enough anywhere you want to.

Our top picks are Sale Water Park and Platt Fields Park, both really pretty areas with plenty of space to explore and get back in touch with nature. The added bonus of these spots is that they’re both pretty popular with dog walkers, and we all know that it’s pretty hard to feel down watching dogs chasing a ball in the grass.

3) Raise A Glass

Any reason to get out and about with friends and family, we’re taking it. If you’re doing Dry January, no drama, we can get the soft drinks in, as this isn’t about going out on a big night out, but more around taking time to spend with those who are important to you, and raising a glass for the things you’re grateful for. Reflect on the good things, whether it be a relationship, your job, a recent achievement – anything that’s going well in your life and remind yourself that Blue Monday doesn’t have a thing on the good aspects. Reflection is a really great way to focus on what’s important and keep your focus on the good things, rather than dwelling on negatives – and why not do that with the people you love in a cute venue?

We’re heading down to The Lawn Club for our first, then we might just pop over to On The Hush afterwards too. These spots are stunning, and the perfect place to appreciate the good things.

How do you combat Blue Monday? We’d love to hear from you. Tag us on socials to let us know what you’re up to and how you’re making the best start to 2025!