About this episode
January blues are back — but is Blue Monday actually real?
In this episode of Truth, Lies & Work, we explore wintering, career pivots, and what behavioural science really says about mood, motivation and burnout at work during January.
If the start of the year feels heavy, flat or strangely exhausting, you’re not alone. Instead of pushing harder, this week we ask a different question: what if slowing down is the smarter response?
? Stories Covered
Word of the Week: Wintering
We unpack the idea of wintering, coined by author Katherine May, which reframes winter as a period of restoration rather than something to “power through”. Drawing on coverage in The Times and insights from clinical psychologist Dr Stephanie Fitzgerald, we explore why January might not be the time for big life changes — and how seasonal rhythms, cold exposure, warm food rituals and gentler movement can help regulate mood and energy.
Links:https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/january-blues-cure-wintering-tkxhxwkskhttps://katherine-may.co.uk/winteringhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/472162/the-gifts-of-winter-by-fitzgerald-dr-stephanie/9780241779576
When is it really time for a career pivot?
We look at new thinking on how to tell the difference between genuine readiness for change and endless rumination. With careers becoming less predictable and many people stuck in the “Big Stay”, we explore why job-hugging is rising — and how understanding your real strengths can help you spot when fit has genuinely broken down.
Link:https://www.fastcompany.com/91462109/how-tell-time-career-pivot
Mattel launches its first autistic Barbie
Mattel has introduced its first autistic Barbie, developed with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Thoughtful design choices around sensory comfort, communication and representation open up a bigger conversation about inclusion, neurodiversity and what people grow up seeing as “normal” — and how that shapes expectations at work.
Links:https://corporate.mattel.com/news/barbie-introduces-the-first-autistic-barbie-doll-championing-representation-for-children-through-playhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-cygielman-7a912412/
