Winter Blues? I'm too busy doing Yoga

Even if you're not one of those superstitious types who insist on having their Christmas decorations down by the sixth of the month, January usually feels as empty as a bookshelf in Paris Hilton's house.

Finances are tight after spending all our cash on brightly coloured paper and sprouts (two-thirds of which went in the bin), there's nothing to look forward to and the weather is dire. On Friday it was so dark outside the Evening Post's office at 1pm I was worried I had set my alarm 12 hours late and accidentally got up in the middle of the night.

The depressing nature of this time of year is even backed up by science. According to a formula devised by Dr Cliff Arnall of Cardiff University's Centre for Lifelong Learning, the most depressing day of the 2008 is set to be a day or two either side of January 21.

(For those who want to calculate it themselves, the formula is ([W + (D-d)] x TQ) ? (M x NA). W = weather, D = debt, d = money due in January pay, T = time elapsed since Christmas, Q = time since failed New Year's resolutions to quit smoking, drinking etc, M = general motivational levels and NA = the need to take action.)

I can easily believe it. In fact if I didn't have to be at work on the 21st - which falls on a Monday, naturally - I would probably spend the day listening to Radiohead records in a darkened room.

The only way out of the rut which looks set to lead me to the crazy house (or a severe case of Seasonal Affective Disorder) is to do something drastic. Hence, as of this week, I plan to enlist in a class at night school.

It might not be up there with bungee-jumping off the top of the Empire State Building in terms of sheer exhilaration, but I'm pretty sure I'll get something out of it.

There's no shortage of options either. A quick glance at the websites of some nearby colleges or that of the Notts branch of the Workers? Educational Association reveals a wide variety of courses to save from me from another evening of watching TV on the sofa.

In the Arnold and Woodthorpe areas alone I could, should I wish, learn more about psychology or Buddhist philosophy. I could pick up a brush and do some watercolour painting, even learn the rudiments of yoga.

It's probably no coincidence that these course always start in January, when the uncommitted such as myself are most vulnerable to attempts at self-improvement. Many of the classes only last for two weeks before being called to a halt due to lack of numbers.

But whichever course I end up choosing, I'm determined to go the distance.

It might mean that the beer section of my nearest supermarket takes a hit due to my reduced loafing time, but at least when I'm finished I might be able to do a passable watercolour painting.

Do you have any New Year's resolutions? And how do you get through the winter blues?