Surprisingly, or perhaps not so, certain days and months are going to be better for you this year than others. Some researchers have been able to predict which days are going to be good, and which not so much, for you this year; when you should be aware of a potential break up and when you might catch your mate cheating. I got to talk about this all this morning in a really fun segment with Erica Hill.
FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY- MOST STRESSFUL WEEK
Well, this is a good place to start because we are currently in it. We have just wrapped up all of the holiday fun (which may be stressful in and of itself) and are getting back to our regular routine. Kids have a hard time re-adjusting to the school routine. A British study found that the cold weather and the end of the holidays can put people on their last nerve, especially at work. We look forward to time off with friends and family, and when it’s over, we can feel deflated. One way to handle this may be to release the tension in a positive way. According to some research, having that mini temper tantrum may actually be a good thing!
JAN. 17 – SADDEST DAY
According to researcher Cliff Arnall, who has studied all sorts of interpersonal trends, January 17 has the potential to be the most depressing day of the year. He looked at weather, debt, time elapsed since the holidays and motivation. This day was chosen because it is about the time we fall off the wagon with our resolutions, have lost the excitement of the holidays, especially as we begin to pay off the debt accrued, and are working to manage the short days and long nights. (INTERESTINGLY, THE 17th is MLK day, WHICH IS THE FIRST FEDERAL HOLIDAY SINCE THE HOLIDAYS…maybe that’s good news for handling the doldrums of the day?)
TIME TO CHEAT
Not surprisingly, Summer is the time most people’s wandering eyes come to the forefront. Remember when you were a kid and summer meant no school, freedom, and fun? Well, that attitude carries over into adulthood, leaving us with the sense that during these months, the usual rules don’t apply This is the time people wear less clothing, the weather is hot..leading the people to feel excited, and temptations are around every corner.
JUNE 17-HAPPIEST DAY
Also according to Arnall (who seems to like the number 17…wonder if that has special meaning), the happiest day of the year is not too far away and is June 17th. It seems that this may be the time when you realize we are heading into summer, the weather is really heating up and the days are much longer. All of that light will definitely boost your mood, and the anticipation of what’s to come over the summer will make you feel good too. Maybe you should put in for that day off now!!!! Computer Science researchers have studied 300 million tweets from a three-year period and say, from their results, people tweeted happier thoughts on Sundays and holidays.
JULY-MOST LIKELY TO GIVE BIRTH
According to the CDC, newborns arrive during the late summer and early fall months. In 2008, the most recent numbers, birthspeaked in hot July–almost 376,000 bundles of joy. So if you do the math, that means people are cozying up in front to the fireplace in the cold winter months–and 9 months later – in the summer and early fall–are when the bumper crop comes in.
And by the way, February is when the fewest babies are born.
DECEMBER – MOST LIKELY TO BREAK UP
A British researcher recently analyzed more than 10,000 Facebook status updates and found there’s a pattern–the 2 weeks before Christmas are the most popular time to separate, followed by spring break and the weeks leading up to Valentine’s day. Mondays seem to be the day people pick to spring the “we need to talk” line. The two weeks prior to Christmas are the most popular and this is probably related to the stress of the holiday season. Sometimes, the relationship may feel like a burden and, with the stress of the holiday, it just isn’t worth the work. And, the end of the year is a time people reassess what they want, so that can have an impact. OR maybe, he just doesn’t want to buy you that present.
Now that you know what to prepare for, what can you do to BE prepared!?!?
Here’s the clip from this morning:
Click Here to see the CBS Video
