Have you ever cleared that towering pile of life admin from the kitchen table, back of a drawer or wherever you stash yours - and felt an immediate weight lift off your shoulders - one that you didn't even know was there? Life admin exists - and living as if it doesn’t is a recipe for unnecessary stress.
Join me as I enter 2020 by getting all my ducks in a row, with tips on how you can do the same. There's nothing like a house move to force us to sort out our shizzle - and having just done so, I feel borderline angelic with my current lifemin status.
The challenge of course is keeping it that way - and in all honesty, my best piece of advice is JFDI. It won't go away by itself and the thought of it is always worse than the reality. Small steps. Little bites. Fifteen minutes a day or a whole day crossed out of your diary. Whatever works for you.
New York professor, Elizabeth Emens, has written a book on how “life admin” – best defined as “the office work of life” – sucks the joy out of daily existence and leaves us feeling as if Something Terrible is about to happen and, worse still, that it is All Our Fault for failing to return a form on time. She argues that we must first acknowledge life admin for the major burden that it is, a whole extra job that we do alongside the one we get paid for.
AKA Being a Grown Up.
The thing about life admin is that it's largely invisible, but ignore it and you're screwed. The fact is, getting this sort of stuff done is surprisingly satisfying and will set you on the right path for the year ahead. Read on for the life admin tasks I’m prioritising in January 2020.
THINGS YOU CAN CHANGE TODAY
Make lists - daily to do lists, weekly lists, work lists, personal lists, shopping lists, wish lists, long term lists, non urgent lists. The joy of ticking off To Dos is a joy like no other. Fact.
Don't Double Up - You'd be surprised at the amount of times people pay twice for the same service. If you take out a new phone contract, cancel the old one. Don't pay insurance for items you no longer own. If you move in with friends or a partner, make sure you're only paying for one TV licence/Netflix subscription et al. Sounds so obvious, but it happens.
Direct Debit everything - this is a game changer. No fear of huge surprise bills arriving unexpectedly the week before Christmas or your Summer holiday. And no wondering did I or didn't I?!
Include Positives - it doesn't all have to be boring. Take the opportunity to implement positives into your life. This could be anything from taking up a new interest, making the most of your National Trust membership or deciding to go for a monthly massage (can highly recommend!). Be realistic and actively schedule these things - check calendars, make a booking, make it happen. It doesn't have to be complicated.
THE NITTY GRITTY
Tax admin
The one that makes doing the laundry seem appealing! Depending on your personal circumstances, this might include:
Creating a folder, app or spreadsheet with relevant receipts or earnings
Getting pay slip or P60 details from your employer
Registering for self-assessment online
Filling out your self-assessment tax return before the January 31 deadline.
Bills
If you are among the one million households in the UK that don’t open their bills, you may need to:
Make sure payments are up to date
Check you’re not making unnecessary payments - eg cancel old subscriptions or memberships
Switch utilities, insurance, current account or credit card provider to get a better deal.
Insurance
House, car, travel, health, you know the drill. Always research the best deals out there, especially if you pay on auto renewal. It's easy to let these things slide and there's almost always money to be saved on the right deal for you.
Debts
Put a realistic plan in place to address any debts - it helps to total all debts and review how best to tackle them. Seek professional advice if you feel out of your depth - and mostly importantly, don't ignore them.
De-clutter your inbox
A quick digital cleanse can feel as liberating as clearing your desk of paperwork. Sit down and sort through your email and filing system - and breathe.
Sort important documents
File important paperwork in a logical way so that not only you know where to find it, but your nearest and dearest can, too, should the need arise. It is such a joy knowing exactly where to put your hand on that all important document whenever you need it. I find a separate system for children's paperwork is helpful too - with everything from birth certificates to health and school documentation.
Schedule appointments
The ones you keep meaning to get around to - eg medical and dental check-ups, the car service and MOT. Then relax and book yourself a massage: you’ve earned it.
Future goals
This is the best time of year to review financial outgoings, goals and costs. Will you be putting money aside this year for a rainy day or something else? Think about what bigger expenses could be looming towards you and what you can do now to help you afford them.
Now give yourself a pat on the back, feel smug and enjoy all the extra breathing space that comes knowing you've dealt with everything you can think of and no longer have to carry all these things in your head!