Yes, it’s time again for the New Year resolutions. Promising yourself that you will no longer be a hot mess who is always late, eating takeaway, and living in a hoarders’ paradise. The ‘New Year, New Me’ concept may make you want to roll your eyes, but the truth is, there’s nothing like a fresh start to motivate you! Here are 8 simple things you can do today to start gaining control of your life AKA – here’s how to get your shit together for 2018.
Whether you use a day-by-day diary, a weekly planner, a calendar or a whiteboard, find some way to map out your days, weeks and months for the new year. Include important due dates for assignments or bills, work shifts, appointments and social events. You’ll find it much easier to hand up work on time and prioritise what needs to be done first.
Clothes, books, toys, old makeup; your house or room is likely filled with junk you don’t need or use anymore. It might take some days to sort through, so do one area at a time, but be ruthless!! You don’t need that broken eye-shadow you keep meaning to fix, your favourite t-shirt from when you were thirteen (that doesn’t even fit anymore…) or that piece of jewellery from your ex that you’re never going to wear again. Some things can go straight into the bin, whilst others may be fit for donation or selling online. Anything you decide to keep should have a place on a shelf or in a drawer, meaning it can be used when needed, but isn’t cluttering your space when it’s not! Starting the new year with less stuff will make your mind feel less cluttered, and will be a great step to get your shit together!
Now that you’ve gone through all your crap in an attempt to get your shit together, you’ve probably found a bunch of reusable water bottles (if not, buy yourself one!). Fill up your water bottle every morning and carry with you all day. Take it to work, uni classes, on the bus, to the gym… Hydration is KEY to feeling and looking your best, and if it’s not with you as a constant reminder to drink, you simply won’t do it. A reusable bottle is better than wasting money on plastic every time you’re out and get thirsty, plus, plastic is shockingly bad for the environment.
Do you dread looking at your phone and seeing 3,146 unread emails? It’s time to make that flashing red reminder disappear! This is an easy job you can do whilst watching Netflix. Sort through the important emails you need to keep for future reference such as online purchases, tax receipts or work rosters, and make folders for each category. This way, there’ll be easily accessible when you need them, but won’t contribute to the chaos of your inbox. Delete everything that you don’t need and unsubscribe to all the companies that send you junk emails or updates that you don’t read. From now on, as soon as you read an email, file it under one of your categories, or if it’s not needed, delete it straight away! You’ll feel far less stressed in 2018 without the flashing red number, and, you’ll no longer miss important dates or information.
I don’t mean depriving yourself of all the things you like, but start to think seriously about saving some cash for that trip you want to take or new phone you want. Calculate how much you earn and what your weekly expenses are (rent, groceries, Netflix, phone bill, etc). Allocate some of what is left over for social events like having lunch or a beer with friends, and put the rest away in a savings account each week. This way, you’ll slowly start working towards something you want, plus, if unexpected costs pop up you won’t have to freak out or borrow money.
Speaking of budgets, cooking at home will save you a tonne of money! No matter what your dietary requirements, there’s thousands upon thousands of cookbooks, online recipes and YouTube tutorials that can show you how to make fast, simple meals. Cook big batches of food so you have extra for uni or work lunch. Buying less food on campus is good for your wallet and your body. If cooking really isn’t your thing, or you don’t have the time, consider trying meal boxes such as Hello Fresh or Soulara. They’ll deliver ingredients and recipes to your door, so your meals for the week are sorted!
Chores can be the bane of your existence, but how good does it feel when you have a nice, clean space to live in? Make notes in your diary to do those tasks that you forget to do (or avoid doing!). Cleaning, for example, doesn’t have to be an overwhelming job. Do one task a week such as vacuuming, cleaning your makeup brushes, changing your sheets or cleaning out the fridge. This means, you’ll always be (relatively) on top of things, but won’t have to spend a whole day cleaning right before your landlord wants to inspect the place!
Whether its drawing, jogging, yoga, a videogame, hiking, writing, napping, cooking new recipes or scrapbooking… it’s important to find something relaxing that you can enjoy. Having time for yourself, especially when you have a busy schedule, is vital for your well being. Finding this time once a week will recharge you and hopefully motivate you to get cracking on ways to get your shit together for 2018!
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