Shake Off Those Winter Blues By Doing These 5 Things

January sucks—here’s how to make it suck a little less.

Coming off the highs of the holiday season can be a real mood-killer. We just had Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Now we’re met with bleak January melancholy with nothing major to look forward to until spring. So, how can you power through one of the most blah months of the year?

Thanks to some tips from places like Cleo and NordVPN, getting yourself out of the winter blues is a realistic goal! Plus, when you use Student Beans, you can save even more on their services! This winter is shaping up to be the best one yet.

Actually Take Control Of Your Finances

While finances might not be the most glamorous thing to talk about going into January, it’s definitely the most practical, especially if your bank account is on life support after all the holiday spending. And in the long run, getting your finances under control will save you so much stress. Put in the work now to reap the rewards later.

Thanks to Cleo, managing your money and budgeting has never been easier. Their budget tracker holds you accountable, and their AI can help optimize your spending. Plus, it’s all wrapped up in an easy-to-use app that you have with you 24/7.

Save 33% on the Cleo Credit Builder* subscription when you use Student Beans

*The Cleo Credit Builder subscription offers saving goals, hacks, challenges, APY on savings, cashback, credit score insights, cash advances if eligible, credit history, and priority support.

Stream A New Show You’ve Been Meaning To Watch

We get it—January is a boring month with not a lot going on. And it feels like it goes on forever. But that’s exactly why it’s the perfect time to start watching something new! January was meant for binge-watching, so start scouting out your next watch.

But if you’ve plowed through all the best TV and movies accessible to you in the United States, it’s time to upgrade with NordVPN. Thanks to their services, you can use a VPN from a different region and access an entirely new library of content! Aside from that, you’ll also be increasing your cybersecurity thanks to their anti-malware features. Win-win!

Save 45% off the one-year plan or 69% off the two-year plan from NordVPN when you use Student Beans

Exercise Regularly

One of the best ways to shake off any blah feelings that winter brings is to get your body moving. Whether that means joining a gym, going for a walk, or dancing around your room, the important thing is to find something that’s fun. You’ll be way more likely to stick with it if you enjoy what you’re doing.

And remember: start slow. You don’t want to go too hard too fast and wind up burning yourself out (or worse yet, get injured). Lots of small steps will turn into sustainable goals in the long run.

Get Organized

Clearing out clutter is a great way to start the year off right. Getting rid of things you don’t need (especially after getting some new things around the holidays) will help create a calming space you’ll actually want to live in. Plus, it will get you all set for the start of a new semester.

Take some time to clean out closets, go through old schoolwork you might be holding onto, and give everything a deep and thorough cleaning. Then you don’t have to do your spring cleaning in the spring when the weather is actually nice.

Give Yourself Some Grace

It can be really intimidating starting a new year—there’s so much pressure to make a lot of big changes to your lifestyle. It’s also common for you get a little down. We’re coming off the holidays, and entering a new chapter of life feels scary when you don’t know what’s ahead.

Try not to put too much pressure on yourself. Take everything one day at a time and do the best you can—don’t worry if you start the year a little slower. Focus on what you need right now and don’t worry about what everyone else is doing.

Don’t forget to use Student Beans to save on Cleo and NordVPN

This post is a sponsored post in partnership with Cleo and NordVPN.