Stuck in a rut? Feeling the February blues?

January seemed to go on forever, but now we’re already nearly through February (woohoo!). There’s a grand stretch in the evenings, and there’s soon to be some “great drying out!” too as we move into Spring.

Are you feeling unmotivated? Stuck in a rut? Like every day is the same? See if you can figure out what’s causing these feelings. It may be as simple as the long Winter and the bad weather keeping you cooped up, and Spring might be all that you need.

Is there something else in your life that you’re unhappy with, or are you just bored of your routine? The solution could be a simple one – take up a new hobby, or try to meet some new people. Maybe you’re unhappy with your job – can you look for a new one, or learn how to do something else? Maybe it’s a bit more than that, and you’re feeling down? You can reach out to someone, have a chat, and go and see your GP. You don’t need to feel like this alone, and there are people who care about you and want to listen.

It’s still pretty quiet, and there’s not too much on yet though, so this is a great time of the year to make some plans for the next few months. We have a few ideas that may make the year ahead a little easier:

Make some fun plans! Look at a 2020 calendar – do you have anything to look forward to? Is it all just school, work or college? Booorrring! Make some plans and pencil them in so there’s always something nice coming up, even if you’re really busy (hello Leaving Cert students! Yes you’re allowed to take breaks occasionally.) It doesn’t have to be a cruise around the world, or a hike to the North Pole. A simple weekend away to visit a friend, meet up for lunch, go camping, or climb Errigal with your friends are all things worth getting excited about.

Blow away the cobwebs! Have you ever heard that saying? Defined as ‘banish a state of lethargy; refresh oneself.’ Usually with fresh air or exercise. Luckily we have plenty of fresh air up here in Donegal (maybe a bit too much sometimes!), so get out for a walk to clear your head and get ready for a fresh start.

Follow through on something you’ve been putting off. Whether it’s clearing out that cupboard, going through your clothes, cleaning your fridge (do you remember the last time you did that?), studying, joining a class, or whatever else has been on your mind but you just keep saying ‘I’ll do that later…next week, ehh maybe the week after…eventually.’. Once you start it might not be as bad as you thought, and if it is, well at least it’s done. So well done! Then you can tick it off the list.

Talk to someone about how you’re feeling. Everyone feels like this sometimes, and speaking about how you feel can help a lot. It might make things a bit clearer and help you figure out your feelings.

Pop in to to the drop-in here at Donegal Youth Service. You might meet some new people, there are groups you can join – some of them up to age 30, and it’s a change of scenery. So get in contact or pop in and see what’s here for you.

Are you doing exams this year? Have you come up with a study plan yet? If not, it’s not too late! A study plan can make the whole thing easier, and less overwhelming. Being prepared is half the battle. Make a study plan that is right for you. Remember everyone is different, so really think about how you learn and what is realistic for you personally. Print off a template and fill it in yourself. Re-evaluate after a week – ask yourself if you could you do more, or was it too much, did you do everything you set out to? It may need to be tweaked for the following week.

Donegal Youth Service is a countywide youth organisation, striving to meet the needs of young people all over Donegal. For more information, or to get in contact you can pop in to 16-18 Port Road, Letterkenny, call 074 91 29630, email admin@donegalyouthservice.ie, and stay up to date with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

This interview was originally published in November 2018 in The Leader. Donegal Youth Service have a column in each issue – available bi-weekly on a Thursday. Pick up a copy today! Available countywide.