So the craziness of Christmas has died down, family have gone home and you’ve gone back to work… January can be a long and draining month and it can be easy to feel a little overwhelmed.
I’ve put together five things to do to instantly feel more productive this month…
Have a clear out
Is there anything more satisfying than having a massive clearing out session of all the stuff you no longer want or need?
After Christmas, if you’re anything like me, you’ll have new things that won’t have a home until you’ve managed to get rid of some of your old things, so get to it and I guarantee you’ll feel more on top of things. A tidy home is a tidy mind and all that.
Create a Schedule
I always feel better when I have an idea of what I’m doing. I’ve been scheduling my blog content in advance for awhile now and find it really helps me to be organised and get posts written even during a hectic week.
Whether you are a blogger or not, having a daily and/or weekly schedule of everything you want and need to do will have you feeling like you have everything together.
Meal Plan
I started meal planning last year and really enjoyed it. Not only does it save me time deciding what to eat every day, it has also saved me money as I’m not wasting as much food and only buying what I actually need each week.
One thing I want to do differently this year is to be a bit more adventurous and creative with the meals I plan as I tended to get into a bit of a rut with it last year and we had the same few meals on rotation.
Start a Gift Drawer
Everybody has ‘the drawer’ in their home- the one full of all the random bits and pieces that don’t have a proper home.
This year, why not clear out the drawer and make it into a gift drawer. Fill it with scissors, sellotape and plenty of wrapping paper and cards for all occasions and every so often add a gift or two in there so that when a birthday comes round you aren’t frantically running to the shops. I am going to be doing this year.
Break Down the Year
This is something I have taken from a book I got for Christmas. Goals can be quite daunting if you look at them altogether and it’s all too easy to not stick to them.
Have a sit down with a pen and paper and break your goals down, allocating one or two to each month.
Having a small goal to complete monthly will seem a lot more achievable, and the sense of accomplishment you’ll feel when you get them done will be worth the effort!
Having goals and lists definitely helps me feel motivated in January x
http://www.ofbeautyandnothingness.co.uk
Starting a gift drawer sounds like such a fab idea! I already have a gift in mind for one of my friend’s whose birthday is in May and the product in question is on sale, so I’m thinking why not?! This is a great list 🙂 xo
Char | http://www.charslittleblog.co.uk
I love the idea of a gift drawer! That’s super handy and definitely something I’m going to look into doing!
I need to have a huge clear out, I’ve done a little bit and it feels so good!!
Such a great list for keeping the productivity levels high! x
I LOVE the gift drawer idea. I actually am the worst for suddenly needing to get something a couple of hours before I need to see them. Stocking it with a few gift cards would be so easy!
I had such a huge clear out and I feel so good!
I have a Christmas box, where I pop little presents in over the year as I see things when I am out and about and buy them all year round – makes such a difference come December!
I do like the idea of breaking down the year for goals – going to draw up a year plan for my goals – fab idea
Having a clear out is one of the things that I love to do in January as it always helps me to feel much more organised! I also love to create a schedule and a plan so I have a rough idea of how my year will shape up to be xx
http://www.imjustagirl16.co.uk
I love the idea of breaking goals down and tackling one or two over a few months. It’s a good way to stay focussed and not end up distracted by trying to achieve too many things. Hubby has been having a big clear out since Christmas or our office, ready to make it into a nursery! Xx
Tania | When Tania Talks