I’ve never been a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. I wrote a piece here a few years back, suggesting that such resolutions should be made as necessary, regardless of time of year; and they should be done for you, the individual doing them, not because of what others or custom expect of you. It’s not that I’m anti-change; rather, when your heart isn’t fully into the resolution, it’s less likely that you’ll keep it, which could then foil future attempts at making said change. But, if you are the type that feels it necessary to have some sort of goal for the new year, allow me to make a recommendation.

Every January, I need to get a new diary/scheduler/date book, or whatever you want to call it, because my last one is, of course, finished. Every time I open a new one, I see it as a new opportunity — an opportunity to optimise my organisation. Now, I’m aware that many people view organisation in an almost fetish-like manner. I’m not one of those types of people, but I recognise that good organisation is key to getting the things you want to do done in a timely, productive, and efficient manner.

I started using a date book during my PhD as a kind of evolving to-do-list, at the request of my supervisor. I was sceptical at first, thinking it may be a futile exercise — wasting time making lists when I could actually be getting work done. Boy, was I wrong. When I finally relented and started the practice, I noticed a massive difference. No longer did I struggle with figuring out which tasks needed to be done when, remembering to do them, and knowing how to priortise them. Every time something came to mind, I’d write it........

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