Beat Blue Monday today by joining lunch-time online talks offered by Quilter in association with mental health support Spill.

Wealth manager Quilter is offering a range of free online talks on wellbeing for advisors today, 17 January, dubbed this year’s "Blue Monday,’" often thought to be the most depressing day of the year. 

The talks, in partnership with mental health support Spill, are designed to help advisors deal with common strains on their mental health including burnout, status anxiety and stress. The three online events will offer support and guidance on beating the winter blues, breaking out of a procrastination and low productivity rut, as well as overcoming imposter syndrome.

The pandemic has been an extremely challenging time for everyone, not least for financial advisors, who have had to cope with increased demands and workloads, while assisting clients as they too navigated the difficult circumstances, the firm said.
 
“The past couple of years have been challenging for all, and financial advisors have needed to be there for their clients to help them navigate the pandemic and often complex personal situations. The pandemic has been a stark reminder that we must all take care of our mental wellbeing, and following positive feedback last year, we are pleased to once again be offering these free talks to support advisors this year, in addition to a wider offering of wellbeing support for our colleagues,” Karen Blatchford, distribution director at Quilter, said.

"For a variety of reasons, Blue Monday is the emotional low point of the year, with many of us struggling with seasonal low mood or the winter blues. It is when the days are dark, it is ages until our next holiday, and many of us are trying to be a bit healthier. It's a great time to think more concertedly about our mental wellbeing and build our resilience, which is why Spill is putting on a series of talks to help people do exactly this," Will Allen-Mersh, head of brand and marketing at Spill, said.
 
The following talks will be available today Monday 17 January on Quilter’s there for you website. Online registration is required.
•    Understanding and beating the winter blues – 12:00 pm to 12:45 pm
•    Breaking out of a procrastination and low-productivity rut – 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm
•    Overcoming imposter syndrome and self-doubt – 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm
 
Quilter will also be supporting customers and colleagues through a series of articles providing useful tips and tricks on various areas of personal finance and wellbeing that many find to be the most challenging, including:

•    Tips to improve your money [management] and mental health
•    How to take control of your finances with an annual budget
•    Five ways to make the most of your retirement
•    Five tips to help you up the property ladder

Quilter suggests the following tips to manage anxiety recommended by Anxiety UK, more are available on Quilter's website. 

Practise the "Apple" technique to help alleviate anxiety and worries:
Acknowledge: notice and acknowledge the uncertainty as it comes to mind.
Pause: don't react as you normally do. Don't react at all. Pause and breathe.
Pull back: tell yourself this is just the worry talking, and this apparent need for certainty is not helpful and not necessary. It is only a thought or feeling. Don't believe everything you think. Thoughts are not statements or facts.
Let go: let go of the thought or feeling. It will pass. You don't have to respond to them. You might imagine them floating away in a bubble or cloud.
Explore: explore the present moment, because right now, in this moment, all is well. Notice your breathing and the sensations of your breathing. Notice the ground beneath you. Look around and notice what you see, what you hear, what you can touch, what you can smell. Right now. Then shift your focus of attention to something else – on what you need to do, on what you were doing before you noticed the worry or do something else – mindfully with your full attention.

Source: Anxiety UK