In 2005, a psychologist named Cliff Arnall (who was, at the time, a
part-time lecturer at the University of Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning in
Wales), declared that he had devised a formula to calculate the worst day. That
year, it was Monday, Jan. 24; last year, Monday, Jan. 23. So watch out, because
today may well be 2007’s most miserable day. Or maybe not.

Arnall’s so-called formula looks like this: [W + (D-d)] x TQM x NA.

All of the letters and symbols apparently represent a sort of mathematical code to track the following:

W: How bad the weather is at this time of year.
D: Amount of debt accumulated over the holidays minus how much
is paid off.
T: The time since the holidays.
Q: Amount of time passed since New Year’s resolutions have gone
south.
M: Our general motivation levels.
NA: The need to take action.

Now that the fun of the holidays is over, we need to make a plan that
gives us something to look forward to. Arnall’s dreaded-day formula was
originally commissioned as a public relations stunt for Sky Travel. The company
planned to use it as a tool for encouraging depressed people to start booking
winter getaways.

“It’s based on no science, no research and it’s incredibly gimmicky,”
says Ellen McGrath, Ph.D., president and founder of Bridge Coaching Institute in
New York City. “But as a marketing strategy, it’s brilliant.”