Balancing act: Fighting winter doldrums: Learning new things, helping others crucial in overcoming frigid time of year

I've also found that reading a good book can help in this area. We may not be enjoying the sun and surf of Hawaii, but we can explore all kinds of new worlds through the magic of literature. I've seen my wife and children enjoy such virtual vacations as they've read the many books they received as Christmas gifts.

One-on-one time with my children has provided another boost to my spirits the last few weeks. I've tried to do a better job of planning and following through with regular father/child outings, and I've loved every minute of them. My children really are fascinating, funny, silly, creative, unexpectedly wise little creatures, and it's a pleasure listening to them tell me about their lives, their ideas and their activities. These outings give me a boost that lasts for hours, even days.

I feel the same about dates with my wife. These have been harder to schedule recently due to the aforementioned sicknesses, but we have manged to sneak in a lunch date or two, and they've been great.

These are just a few ideas that have helped me, but I'm sure there are lots of other ways to fight the winter doldrums. Have you experienced this kind of malaise the last few weeks? What have you done to beat it this year? What has worked in the past?

Please send me your ideas, and I'll share them in a future column.

Email your comments to kratzbalancingact@gmail.com or post them online at deseretnews.com. Follow me on Twitter at gkratzbalancing or on Facebook on my journalist page.