Having spent several days trying to put 2007 into some positive spin, it would seem that the best I could get from it was to realise that treading water gets you nowhere. You do nothing. You get depressed and the year becomes a washout.

In an effort in remedy this, I now have a kitchen calendar in my study which is purely for me to document my achievements this year. Nothing else. And my aim is never to have a blank month. January already has three entries

• Mortgage now under a milestone mark.
• Now halfway through first draft of new book.
• Completed tech review of a different book.

I don’t think it matters what you consider an achievement as long as in six months when you look back at it, you don’t immediately think “Why did I write that?” A £3 motivator. Eat your heart out lifehacker.