A checklist to help you get ahead in 2015

Wouldn’t it be nice to start 2015 organized and productive? Cross the following items off of your to-do list to begin the new year on a good note:

• Order assortment cards: Thank you cards, congratulations cards, birthday cards and more are all essential to have on hand in the office and at home. Use one to congratulate fellow employee on a promotion or to say thank you for a birthday gift you received from a friend. No matter how much time passes, handwritten notes are a timeless method of maintaining professional and personal relationships. You never know when you’re going to need a sympathy card or a birthday card at the last minute, which is why these assortment packs are a must-have.

• Update your address book: You may have received a stack of holiday cards from your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Before you recycle the cards or turn them into a festive project, jot down everyone’s address and contact information. When you need to send out cards throughout the year, you’ll have everyone’s current phone number, address and email. And when next holiday season rolls around, you’ll already have an updated list you can rely on.

• Purge your desk: You’re going to have to make room for more papers and work materials in the new year, which is why it’s a good idea to throw away or recycle any items you don’t need. Go through that stack of paperwork that has been sitting on your desk, clean out your drawers and file away documents into appropriate folders or bins. You’ll feel much more confident about tackling work-related tasks when you have a clean and organized desk in front of you. Come up with an organizational system that works for you so it’s easy to stick to throughout the remainder of the year.

• Reorganize your surroundings: Whether it’s your home office or your desk at work, consider doing a bit of redecorating. It can be refreshing to have some new Feng Shui, and a change in surroundings can contribute to your fresh start for the new year. If you can’t move where your desk is, try decorating it in a different way. Color-code your office supplies, add more family photos, hang an inspirational poster, etc. As long as you keep it professional, let your desk reflect who you are as a person.

• Switch to online bill pay: Not only do paper bills create clutter on your countertops, they can be hard to keep track of. By switching to online bill pay, you’ll have less papers to recycle, and your payments will be automated. If you would rather not switch to online bill pay, you can sign up with your bank to receive email or text alerts when a payment is due.

• Unplug at night: A good night’s sleep can help you be as productive as possible the next day. But looking at your phone and checking emails or social media before bed can interfere with your ability to fall asleep. The brightness of your screen wakes you up, which isn’t something you want when you’re trying to get some shut eye. A half hour before bed, make your phone, tablet and laptop off limits to get yourself into sleep mode. Make this a habit to turn sleep into a priority for 2015.

• Set goals and write them down: Figure out exactly where or what you would like to improve on in the new year, and make those goals visible. Write them on your desk calendar, hang them up on your fridge or adhere sticky notes to the side of your computer. Keeping your aspirations visible to you gives you a constant reminder of what you would like to change.