“Cliff Arnall, the psychologist who ‘calculated’ that Monday is the most depressing day of the year is urging Britons to “refute the whole notion” and be cheerful instead. The third Monday in January became a black day in 2005 when Mr Arnall was paid by a public relations firm to identify the most miserable date in the calendar in order to promote holiday firm, Sky Travel.
The self-styled ‘freelance happiness guru’ chose the date based on a pseudo-mathematical formula involving the weather, debt, motivational levels and time elapsed since Christmas. Now Mr Arnall, from Brecon, Wales, has admitted the idea of a single most depressing day was “not particularly helpful” because it became “a self-fulfilling prophecy” and that achieving happiness and being less materialistic was a year-round aim. He said Monday January 18 should instead be used to “get a bit of perspective” about our own lives.
“I’m pleased about the impact it if it means people are talking about depression and how they feel but I’m also encouraging people to refute the whole notion of there being a most depressing day and to use the day as a springboard for the things that really matter in your life,” he said.”
Read more at The Telegraph
looks like a picture used by Naboo in the Mighty Boosh. Good old kitten (or cat) to calm the mood.
very true and very timely – take control people!
Hey it’s my birthday! Cheer up and have some cake! I’ll make a wish for you when I blow out my candles!!
I see your ‘Monday as the most depressing day’ and raise you Tuesday.
Mondays- yes, they’re horrible. But TUESDAYS!
What could be more crestfalleny than looking back on the yesterday to see that you achieved nothing that day and then spend the entirety of Tuesday thinking about how little you’ve achieved generally.
Proof that this is true: http://www.twitpic.com/fbg7z
I thank you.
Happiness is a choice – why choose to be sad?
Most depressing day of the year? I’m off to a funeral in about half an hour, no joke!
Being slightly unemployed, I fail to see today as more depressing than any other day.
Thursdays become less depressing at fortnightly intervals, mind; but this is short lived.
Happy Birthday Olivia
Yeah, today isn’t any more depressing than yesterday… they’ve been equally shite!
I have to say, I am an equal opportunity hater, I dislike all Mondays equally and completely. This Monday was no worse than the last Monday nor will next Monday be any better.
If it wasn’t for Red Bull, I may not actually make it through any Monday, let alone the week.
Red Bull FTW.
Ah, a brittish invention. We, on the main land, have that each week. And at times all other days of the week. Weekend days are often better … hm … I wonder due to what.
Don’t be taken in! “The most depressing day” was invented to make us buy stuff:
http://wp.me/pmzBS-fA
Aww, the shops are all sold out of “Unhappy Most Depressing Day” cards :-\
Tuesday is the most depressing day of the week – never got the hang of Tuesdays !
January 6th is the most depressing day of the year ‘coz it’s the day that the Crimbo deccys come down.
My walls look so empty without them.
what a shame he picked the national holiday for Martin Luther King, 3rd Monday of January, as the most depressing day. I should think that most US peeps would be rather happy as they get a day off. Or perhaps it’s just a UK thing, not a worldwide phenomenon?
I would have fired a PR agency that wasted my money on a report like that, you could have just asked 20 people at random, used the ‘most popular date’ from those responses and gone down the pub with the change.