Today is Blue Monday, known as the most depressing day of the year. It falls on the third Monday of January when the novelty of the new year has faded away, Christmas is a distant memory, the days are still short, the weather bad, and Valentine’s Day is the only holiday to look forward to.

Today is Blue Monday but it is less than scientific.

In the past, I have not minimized the gloominess of this time of year. The January-February time period can be an especially tough stretch of the calendar for many. The fact that the supposedly saddest day of the year falls within this range is not surprising.

I do qualify saddest day of the year with “supposedly” because the designation of Blue Monday is hardly scientific. A psychologist used a very unscientific formula to invent Blue Monday for a marketing campaign in 2005. However, the promotional blitz somehow found mainstream acceptance and is now considered data-based by many.

Despite the questionable legitimacy of Blue Monday, there is no debate that this time of the year can be tough. For those who have natural cases of the blues during these less than inspiring weeks, I recommend working toward goals, performing good works for others, and doing whatever endorphin-releasing activities feasible to you.

Real or not, Blue Monday has nothing on me today. I have the day off, I am spending time with my wife and kids, and we have plenty of good stuff to watch on our streaming list. But perhaps the best course of action is not to get too caught up in this pseudo-holiday. After all, there is a real holiday today that actually carries with it meaning. Don’t Blink.