Top 5 Ways To Prepare For The New Year

Buy A Diary

There’s no better way to get your head around starting a new year than by treating yourself to some shiny new stationery. A new, neat diary is the perfect place to jot down your to-dos, appointments and even your shopping lists. It’s a place to get organised and the best part about it is that it doesn’t have to be charged (goodbye cellphone lists, hello good old fashioned pen and paper!) Check out the Typo store in Mall Of Africa for the latest and greatest in diary design, innovation and cuteness. Shop online at Macaroon, where you can personalise your diary with your name!

Start Meal Prepping

This might seem like a strange one but preparing your meals beforehand can really save time during the day and make you more productive. Keep healthy snacks at hand so that those tummy grumbles don't get too loud and distracting and you'll find that your productivity increases tenfold. Healthy and productive = a win-win situation. A great place to get your good grub on is at the Fresh Earth food store in Emmarentia. If you can't find what you're looking for then check out their website for fresh ideas.

Get Organised

There’s a saying that goes “failing to plan is planning to fail” and we couldn’t agree more. There’s probably a lot you want to achieve in the new year (we’re with you on that) and there’s no better way to make your wishes come true than to facilitate them. What do we mean? Well, if you want to feel in control of the year, start each day off right. Prepare your meals the night before (or make a big batch of meals on the weekend and portion them out), lay your clothes out so that you avoid any last-minute wardrobe crises and do something that makes you feel good each morning, whether it’s waking up a bit earlier to indulge in a bubble bath, making time to get to the gym or even just listening to your favourite song before you get out of bed. It’s the little things, right? Do yourself a favour and make a date with Westpack at the Lifestyle Centre. You will be amazed at the cool storage solutions you can find here.

Spruce Up Your Desk

It might sound like an obvious one but if you’re like most of us, you spend a lot of time at your desk. So why not make it nice - a place you want to spend time? Whether this is by framing a picture of your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse/kid/dog or bedazzling your mouse, it is completely up to you. Save yourself a couple of bucks and check out some of these top antique stores in Johannesburg and find yourself a brand spanking new - well, used but cool desk.

Create A Work Playlist

If you work in an open-plan office or the sound of Joburg traffic is your daily background noise, you need to a) invest in a good quality pair of headphones and b) create an office-appropriate playlist. Obviously, this playlist depends on what you do for a living but something upbeat to get you through those Monday blues and something soothing after a stressful meeting. If you find it difficult to work with music but need to block out the background noise, the best thing to do is YouTube sounds of the ocean. You’ll be surprised at how relaxing and effective this can be! Simple solution? Band Camp. That's all. Band Camp it up. You'll discover the coolest music from around the globe that "no one has even heard of". Hopefully, with the above-mentioned tips, you’ll be ready to tackle the new year in no time! Good luck for the New Year, Joburg. By Nikki Samakosky and Shawn Greyling