With the passing of "Blue Monday"–a heady cocktail of holiday hangover, wintry weather, failed resolutions, job insecurity and wobbly finances–it's up, up, up from here. Most bosses take a stiff-lipped approach in facing tough times, while their underlings feel like survivors clinging to a lifeboat. It goes without saying, this definitely hinders productivity. Seasoned employees may take pleasure in a Millennials misery, especially if they hear one say "Dude, where's my job?"

What's making you blue this winter?
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Knowledge workers feeling the pressure of constantly having to do more with dwindling resources may feel like saying, "I'm a knowledge worker, not a frickin' magician!" For the underleveraged, there are several tips for combating the overload. Take a step back from your situation and follow these simple steps: chunk it down, prioritize and delegate. As a bonus, these three magic questions will help you see through the fog.

Three successful individuals discuss how they turned their lives around by striking out and changing directions. A former agoraphobic single-mother of two became a celebrity chef on the Food Channel. A successful designer at Liz Claiborne gets back to her roots by making handmade textile designs. A successful PR guru and published author scales his operation back to be an on-the-spot dad.

Contrary to popular belief, meetings at big companies aren't about individuals contributing new ideas. Rather the higher-ups have already done the brainstorming–thank you very much–and now the consensus building begins. Executives must sell their vision to those below them and engaged employees are expected to buy-in, whole-heartedly. It may seem like an open, freewheeling meeting, but your difference in opinion will be noted.