January 2nd can be a real bummer. We’re back at work, the holidays are over, it’s cold and dark. Not a recipe for fun.
To get back into the swing of things, we thought it would be interesting to track the country’s ho-hum attitude through a map. We wanted to know, who might be experiencing the worst case of post holiday blues?
America’s Mood Map might hold the answer.
America’s Mood Map – Which State Fits You Best?
TIME has published an interactive map showing how people score on personality tests based on where they live.
The study surveyed nearly 1.6 million people in the 48 contiguous United States and the District of Columbia. The most relevant personality test was the OCEAN or Big Five Inventory, a measure of Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism.
Researchers grouped survey results into three macro regions:
- New England / Mid-Atlantic states – high rates of neuroticism make them “temperamental and uninhibited”
- West Coast / Rocky Mountains / Sun Belt states – a greater degree of openness means they are “relaxed and creative”
- South / Midwest states – considered “friendly and conventional”
Tennessee comes in 2nd for Agreeableness nationwide. Take the test to discover which state matches your personality, or hover over each state to see their various rankings. (Click to enlarge.) Image: Time Science & Space
Mainers Might Be the Least Happy Today
So, which state is most likely to experience malaise as the holiday season departs for another year?
To find out, we looked at the least agreeable states, or those who are the least compassionate and cooperative; and the most neurotic states, or those with the most anger and anxiety.
The state with the dubious distinction of being the most downcast today is Maine, with a ranking of 46th most agreeable and 2nd most neurotic. (Of course, this doesn’t help.)
For Mainers and everyone out there struggling with the end of the holiday fun, check out these 7 tips for beating the post holiday blues.