The nights are fair draw’n in’. Winter is here already. Some may smile to themselves at the thought of cosy fireside nights and roast dinners. Others may feel less upbeat. In fact, if you are one of the estimated 1 in 3  people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder, it’s likely the season ahead will look anything but jolly. Goodbye sunlight. And hello depression, sluggishness, and apathy! Even if you are lucky enough not to experience SAD symptoms, it’s likely that you will work alongside people who do. Workplaces can become dreary places at this time of year – but is there anything that can be done about that? Perhaps there is.  The Tromsø Phenomenom I recently came across some research conducted in Norway, specifically in Tromsø, which is a city 200 miles north of the Arctic circle. Despite experiencing only 2 or 3 hours of indirect sunlight a day, a study conducted in 2012 showed that residents of Tromsø did not report any signs of emotional distress through wintertime. Health psychologist, Kari Lebowitz, was intrigued by this. And so she designed the wintertime mindset scale which asked participants to rate their agreement or disagreement with the following statements. And Winter is boring Winter is a limiting time of year There are many things to dislike about winter Guess which statements the residents of Tromsø were in agreement with? That’s right, they viewed winter in a positive way. Growing a Tromsø mindset But how can you implement this positive wintertime mindset in the workplace without coming over all Pollyanna? Or, even worse, seeming insensitive to the mental health issues others may be going through? Actually, when it comes to mindset, the worst thing you can do is to mention the ‘m’ word outright – it can annoy people, making them feel as if you’re telling them how and what to think. The best thing to do is to focus on your own mindset – positivity can be contagious! Begin by reframing the winter months in a positive way. What opportunities does winter offer you? These could either be opportunities for you or your business/organisation. You might see the long dark nights as a way of socialising more, or learning a new skill. Studies have shown that people who see learning opportunities and exciting challenges in stressful events tend to cope better than those who focus on their threatening aspects. And these differences in mindset don’t just stop at mood – they also influence a person’s physical wellbeing. How to embrace winter at work 1. Watch how you speak about winter. There’s a tendency to talk about ‘getting through winter’, ‘coping with winter’, ‘surviving winter’ as if it’s a terrible illness. Make subtle adjustments to how you think and speak about winter, and you may even infect people with your enthusiasm. Why not try ‘embracing winter’ instead? 2. We often associate winter with goodbyes – farewell to flowers, picnics and warmer days. Show that winter is a time to say ‘hello’ to lots of pleasant things. For example, get the canteen to serve spiced apple juice, organise a seasonal bake off competition (tis the season to eat cake!), 3. Finally, embrace opportunities to learn. Whether this be meditation, yoga or craft sessions, the mental health benefits of learning a new skill are well-documented. And if you’d like to embrace wellness writing at work this winter, let me know. You can find out more about my services here.