Dawn McGuigan

January is a time for new beginnings and fresh starts. But what if you don’t know where to begin or how to start? Here are some handy books that will help you get your shit together and crack on with making 2019 a year to remember. 

1. Anything by Sarah Knight

I’ve been a fan of Knight’s sweary guidance for many years now. It’s witty, direct and forthright. Her collection includes The Live-Changing Art of Not Giving a F*ck (a game changer that told me how to identify and use a fuck budget to my advantage), Get Your Sh*t Together (plus an accompanying journal), You Do You and, brand new for this year, Calm the F*ck Down. 

If, like me, you prefer acerbic advice to passive counsel, these are the books for you.

2. An Edited Life by Anna Newton

Lifestyle blogger Anna Newton’s debut book, An Edited Life, offers advice on streamlining your life, home and work. With tips on planning your work day, building a capsule wardrobe and self-care, it’s the millennial handbook you didn’t realise you needed.

3. How to be a Grown Up by Daisy Buchanan

It’s a few years old now but this book is my go-to tome for reflective guidance. The hilarious how-to guide looks at the key components of being an adult – and asserts why you’re not as bad at them as you might think. You’ll recognise yourself in Buchanan’s candid memoir and get a tonne of tips for tackling some of the challenges of grown-up life.

4. Busy by Tony Crabbe

2019 is the year I’m challenging the idea of ‘busy’ as a status symbol. It comes with a whole load of crap – anxiety, exhaustion, burn out – and we should all stop playing ‘I’m soooo busy’ top trumps with each other.

This attitude started after I read Tony Crabbe’s book. Packed with guidance on how to be productive without setting yourself up for a mental breakdown, it’s insightful, practical and a must-read for anyone with lots on their plate.

But, remember to be kind to yourself…

Getting your shit together doesn’t mean you have to have an amazing career, 2.4 kids and a husband (or your life partner of choice), an Instagrammable home, daily exercise routine, side hustle, gourmet-quality culinary skills, a book deal, an awesome social life, exotic holidays in the diary, coffee dates and long lunches with friends, a wild sex life and a hair do that is always perfectly coiffed.

It means having whatever you can from that list (or whatever is included in your own personal itinerary) on a schedule that doesn’t kill you.

I’m making 2019 about the quality of experience not the quantity. I’m seeking fewer highlights so I can savour the achievements and relish the downtime.

Hopefully, these books will help you define your own 2019 goals and hit them at your own pace.