The Clocks Have Gone Back. Why Has My Motivation Gone With Them?

You finish work, look out of the window and feel as though the day has already ended. The walk you planned suddenly seems less appealing. Cooking feels like an effort. The sofa is making a very convincing argument.

The clocks went back across the UK on Sunday 25 October, bringing earlier sunsets by the clock and the familiar promise of an extra hour in bed. But an extra hour does not necessarily leave you feeling refreshed, particularly when your working hours, caring responsibilities and household jobs carry on as usual.

If your enthusiasm has dipped alongside the evening light, it is easy to start criticising yourself. Why can’t you get going? Why does everything feel harder? Before you decide you have somehow become lazy overnight, it is worth looking at what has changed around you.

Why darker evenings can feel so draining

The clock change makes the transition into winter feel particularly abrupt. Daylight has been decreasing gradually, but suddenly the evening you were used to having after work seems to have disappeared.

There can be a physical element to seasonal changes, too. The NHS says reduced daylight in winter is thought to play a role in seasonal affective disorder, potentially affecting the chemicals involved in mood and sleep and the body’s internal daily rhythm. However, a few sluggish afternoons after the clocks change do not, by themselves, mean you have a depressive illness.

There is also the practical reality of a darker day. If your usual walk, trip to the shops or catch-up with a friend happens after work, it may now involve cold weather and darkness. Activities that used to happen almost automatically can start to require planning.

For people working long shifts in health and social care, finding daylight can be particularly awkward. When you are indoors for much of the day, “just get outside more” can sound like advice from someone who has never looked at your rota.

Give daylight a place in your day

Rather than relying on having time outside after work, consider whether there is a small opportunity earlier. That might mean stepping outside before a shift, taking part of a break outdoors where possible, or having a short walk on a day off.

It does not need to become another demanding wellbeing challenge. Greater Manchester’s NHS winter wellbeing guidance recommends making the most of daylight and explains that even a short daytime walk provides an opportunity for natural light and physical activity.

The useful question is: where could a little daylight realistically fit into the day you already have? Some days, the answer may be nowhere. That is a reason to look for the next opportunity, rather than write off the whole week.

Make the first step smaller

When motivation is low, an ambitious plan can become something else to avoid. An hour at the gym, a freshly cooked dinner and a perfectly organised evening may feel impossible before you have even left work.

Try making the starting point smaller. Put your shoes on and walk to the end of the street. Prepare one straightforward meal. Spend ten minutes on the task you have been putting off, then decide whether you have the energy to continue.

These are options, rather than targets you need to achieve. A shorter walk still gives you time outside. A simple dinner still feeds you. Doing a little can be enough for that particular evening.

It may also help to move activities to a different time. If you know you are unlikely to exercise once it is dark, could a weekend morning work better? Could you meet a friend for lunch rather than repeatedly cancelling evening plans?

Leave some room for recovery

There is a temptation to treat every spare hour as an opportunity to catch up. Washing, shopping, messages, family commitments and all the jobs you could not finish during the week can fill a weekend before you have had a chance to rest.

If that sounds familiar, our article on recovering after a busy week and giving your mind and body time to reset is a useful companion read.

Consider what you would find restful this week. It might be a quiet morning, an afternoon with a book or seeing someone whose company you enjoy. You do not have to fill the darker months with an impressive programme of self-improvement.

If learning something new does appeal, our selection of seven wellbeing masterclasses worth your time offers somewhere to explore. Choose something because it interests you, rather than because you feel you ought to be doing more.

Keep an eye on tiredness that does not lift

The timing of the clock change can make it tempting to blame every dip in energy on winter. But tiredness that persists, worsens or interferes with everyday life deserves attention.

For women working in care, our article “Why Am I So Tired? Understanding Fatigue in Women Working in Care” offers a related read. If exhaustion is becoming your normal, speak to your GP rather than assuming you simply need to push harder.

Likewise, seek advice if low mood persists, you lose interest in things you usually enjoy, or you notice a recurring pattern of struggling during autumn and winter. Seasonal affective disorder is a recognised form of depression, and support and treatment are available.

For this week, start with something manageable: a little daylight where you can find it, one achievable plan and some time to recover. You can take how you feel seriously without demanding that you solve everything by Monday.

This article provides general wellbeing information and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice.