A = alone time

After the whirlwind of the festive period, it's inevitable many of us have staggered into 2017 feeling a tad frazzled. Draw the curtains, put your mobile phone on silent, coorie-in under a blanket and unabashedly indulge your inner Greta Garbo: "I want to be alone."

A spot of solitude not only allows the opportunity to reboot your brain and unwind, but is said to aid concentration, productivity and the ability to work through problems.

B = box set binge

What better way to stave off the blues than with good old fashioned escapism? The raft of online streaming services means you don't even need to budge from the comfort of your armchair.

Among the new gems on Netflix is The OA, a mesmerising eight-part science fiction series that offers a kooky twist on the theme of near-death experiences. The brainchild of Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, the storyline centres on Prairie Johnson, a young woman who mysteriously reappears after being missing for a decade.

Prairie, played by Marling, is desperate to return to an undisclosed location and enlists the help of an unlikely allegiance of four teenagers and their teacher with whom she shares a spellbinding tale of her captivity, repeatedly thwarting death, crossing dimensions and gaining supernatural powers.

I can't tell you what The OA stands for – that would spoil it – but what I can say is that those who loved Netflix's summer hit Stranger Things will enjoy the parallels: a strong female lead and dreamy homage to a John Hughes-esque world where high school misfits band together.

The Herald: Brit Marling in Netflix Sci-fi drama The OA. Picture: JoJo Whilden/NetflixBrit Marling in Netflix Sci-fi drama The OA. Picture: JoJo Whilden/Netflix

New to Netflix this month is the 13-episode One Day at a Time, a reimagining of the Norman Lear classic centred on a Cuban-American family.

A Series of Unfortunate Events – based on the internationally best-selling series of books by Lemony Snicket aka American novelist Daniel Handler – recounts the tragic tale of the Baudelaire orphans whose evil guardian Count Olaf will stop at nothing to get his hands on their inheritance. The eight-episode series is available from Friday.

If you haven't watched The Crown yet, don't delay: it won't disappoint. Created and written by Peter Morgan – the man behind The Queen, Frost/Nixon and Rush – this big budget biopic of the Queen , traces her life from getting married in 1947 to the present day.

The first series, available on Netflix, charts events up until 1955. Little Dorrit and Wolf Hall star Claire Foy plays the Queen with former Doctor Who, Matt Smith, as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Arriving on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, meanwhile, is crime drama series Sneaky Pete. The low down: seasoned con man Marius gets out of prison only to discover that a criminal boss he wronged is planning revenge. With his enemies bearing down, the shrewd Marius does what anyone would and assumes the identity of his former cellmate Pete.

Sci-fi fans should check out thriller Falling Water, released by Amazon Prime Video on January 15, which sees three unrelated people – in turn searching for a missing girlfriend, lost child and a cure for a catatonic mother – discover they are dreaming separate parts of a single common dream.

Another one to watch out for is Z: The Beginning of Everything, a fictionalised bio series of the life of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, available on Amazon Prime Video from January 27.

The Herald: Christina Ricci in Z: The Beginning of Everything, a fictionalised bio series of the life of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald Picture: Giovanni Rufino/Amazon Prime VideoChristina Ricci in Z: The Beginning of Everything, a fictionalised bio series of the life of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald Picture: Giovanni Rufino/Amazon Prime Video

Christina Ricci plays the beautiful, whip smart and spirited Alabama-born socialite, who was dubbed "the First American flapper" during the Roaring Twenties.

At a dance for soldiers departing to fight in First World War in 1918, Zelda meets novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald, who piques her interest. The ensuing episodes follows their unfolding love affair and marriage as the couple become a celebrated emblem of the Jazz Age.

See also: T = television

C = crafts

I've found myself falling into the hamster wheel-esque trap of spending increasing time on social media. Hours on end can be lost to scrolling through the same three or four apps on my mobile phone. And to what purpose?

Although a relative newcomer to the world of crafting, I can attest that not only is it a brilliant way to have a digital detox, but also offers the rather enjoyable juxtaposition of challenging and relaxing the brain.

Nor am I alone. The burgeoning trend for crafts shows few signs of waning with knitting, crocheting, embroidery, needle felting, ceramics, dressmaking, glass-blowing and screen printing all enjoying growing popularity.

Specialist retailer Hobbycraft reported a 63 per cent rise in profits last year with TV shows such as The British Sewing Bee and The Great Pottery Throw Down credited with helping inspire people.

Nostalgia is another big driving force: arguably little wonder that amid austerity and politically uncertain times that people should yearn for something comfort-inducing and harking back to a simpler, more carefree era.

Ditto, with advances in virtual reality and online interactions seeping into all corners of our lives, it makes sense to crave something real and tangible.

The Herald: Writer Susan Swarbrick gets a crash course in how to make a cushion cover at Remnant Kings. Picture: Colin MearnsWriter Susan Swarbrick gets a crash course in how to make a cushion cover at Remnant Kings. Picture: Colin Mearns

The beauty of crafting is that it doesn't need to be an expensive or intimidating prospect. Start small and build your way up to more ambitious projects. Many craft shops offer starter kits that take you through the process.

There are copious YouTube videos to lend a guiding hand, be it a novice knitter who wants to learn how to cast on or a woodworking tutorial on perfecting basic joint-making techniques.

Read about my sewing class shenanigans here

C also = colouring books

Remember those rainy afternoons as a child spent happily scribbling away at the kitchen table? What better way to brighten up the January gloom than with a spot of colouring-in.

Sales of colouring books aimed at stressed-out adults have rocketed. Aberdeenshire illustrator Johanna Basford is a pioneer, the self-dubbed ink evangelist published her first title, Secret Garden, in 2013.

She has gone on to publish four more – including Enchanted Forest, Magical Jungle and Lost Ocean – awakening a new genre and selling 20 million copies worldwide.

In December, while receiving an OBE for services to art and entrepreneurship, Basford was told by Prince William that his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, is a big fan.

As pastimes go, colouring in doesn't need to be a costly. You can pick up a cheap pack of pencils or pens at your local pound shop.

Basford's books are perfect for those who love nature, flora and fauna with intricate images of tree-lined mazes, waterfalls, frogs, hummingbirds, tigers, seahorses and barnacle-studded shipwrecks.

For colouring-in material with a large serving of swashbuckling hero then The Official Outlander Colouring Book (Century, £14.99) and Poldark (Boxtree, £9.99) is just the ticket.

The former is packed with illustrations based on Diana Gabaldon's literary creation including golden couple Jamie and Claire Fraser, while the latter features Poldark's eponymous leading man alongside miner's daughter Demelza, her loyal canine companion Garrick and the dastardly George Warleggan.

The Herald:

Then there's Colouring the Tour de France by James Nunn and William Fotheringham (Yellow Jersey Press, £9.99) – think sunflower-filled fields, the hairpin bends of Alpe d'Huez and a magical sight of a cycling peloton in full flight – meaning you can feel sporty without hitting the gym.

D = digital detox

Have you ever searched frantically for your mobile phone only to find it nestled in the palm of your hand? Panicked because you were out and about with a rapidly draining battery? Or began to get tetchy because you couldn't access to emails or social media?

Time for a digital detox. While there's no need to go cold turkey completely (that's just daft), start by trying to gradually limit your online activity.

Set aside half an hour a couple of times a day to reply to message, tweets and Facebook posts, but then put your phone or tablet away (hide it under a cushion if need be).

Then read a book, do crafts or colouring in, invite a friend round for tea and cake: simply be present without your face bathed in the glow of an electronic device.

Suffice to say, the next time you switch it on, your online world won't have imploded. You will have a break from the negative swirl of social media. And your head will feel a little clearer.

D also = declutter

January is a perfect time to get rid of all those unwanted bits and bobs. All of us are guilty of holding onto things that we don't need, be it for sentimental reasons, vain hopes that it may come in handy again one day or stubborn pride that those Boxing Day sale buys were not a mistake.

Start with the kitchen junk drawer and work your way up to tackling the groaning cupboard which has become the final resting place for everything from old toys to antiquated garden tools.

The golden rule: if you don't use it, need it, love it? Bid it a swift farewell. Go to a car boot sale, sell items in The Herald classifieds, or websites such as eBay, Gumtree and Depop, throw a clothes swap party or pack the lot off to the charity shop.

See also: U = upcycling.

E = explore

It never fails to amaze me the abundance of fascinating places on my doorstep that I've yet to visit.

My nephews aged four and seven are daft about Pokemon Go and one unexpected upside is that the game's plethora of PokeStops – where players collect balls used to capture the virtual reality critters – can be found at key landmarks, monuments, art installations and sites of historical interest.

Wandering around in search of Pikachu and chums, I've discovered a cornucopia of hidden treasures I had previously blithely walked past.

The Herald: Pokemon Go can be an interesting way to get to know your neighbourhood. Picture: Julie HowdenPokemon Go can be an interesting way to get to know your neighbourhood. Picture: Julie Howden

One such was the poignant Weavers' Memorial in the Calton area of Glasgow that commemorates those who died during one of Scotland's earliest major industrial disputes in 1787 as well as intriguing stories behind stone carvings found on countless buildings around the city.

If Pokemon Go has too much cringe, then jump on a tour bus in your hometown. It may be surprising how much new knowledge you will glean.

F = frugal

When the weeks to pay day stretch ahead with no end seemingly in sight, the trick is to embrace being frugal. See it as a challenge to empty the freezer making ever more leftfield culinary creations. See also: P = potluck supper.

Check out money saving apps, such as Shopmium, CheckOutSmart and GreenJinn, which give cashback coupons on items including baby products and toiletries.

G = genealogy

How magnificent was the recent episode of BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? that saw cockney geezer Danny Dyer discover he is descended from (spoiler alert!) two English kings – William the Conqueror and Edward III – and Henry VIII's right-hand man Thomas Cromwell? Talk about epic.

While not all of us will be able to lay claim to royalty, researching the family tree is a fascinating project.

The latest batch of Scottish records to be added to the ScotlandsPeople website include 1916 births, 1941 marriages and 1966 deaths.

Notable entries include the birth records of Inverness writer Jessie Kesson and comedian Jack Milroy, who was born James Cruden in Govanhill, Glasgow.

H = hygge

Granted, hygge has become a tad Marmite-esque due to the slew of books, column inches and acres of schmaltzy shop floor displays dedicated to the topic.

Indeed so ubiquitous is hygge that it made the Collins Words of the Year 2016 shortlist alongside Trumpism, mic drop and eventual winner Brexit.

In case you've been living under a rock, the Danish word – pronounced "hue-gah" – is translated into English as "cosiness". The essence of hygge – or to hyggeligt – is about being good to yourself, indulging guilt-free in favourite pastimes and simple pleasures.

Hygge can be sharing delicious food with friends; the smell of freshly brewed coffee; the feel of crisp, clean bed linen; idly stroking a cat or dog; reading the weekend papers in bed; or enjoying a meandering walk in the countryside.

Interestingly hygge shares some traits with another term that made the Collins list: JOMO (joy of missing out). In a nutshell, pleasure gained from enjoying one's current activities without worrying that other people are having more fun.

I = indoors

Staying in is the new going out. You heard it here first.

J = jammies

Or pyjamas to use their Sunday name. Having spent most of December squeezing ourselves into sleek little black dresses, smart shirts/trousers and cheap acrylic festive themed jumpers, we owe ourselves a dress-down January.

This advice comes with the strict caveat that it applies to the privacy of your own home and anyone spotted wandering around the supermarket in their PJs will be shipped off to sartorial boot camp.

K = kindness

The season of goodwill may be done and dusted, but don't let that sentiment ebb away. Pop in and visit an elderly neighbour, donate to a food bank or lend an ear to someone going through a difficult time.

L = lazing

Contrary to popular belief, the gym isn't mandatory in January. Permission to slob out is granted.

M = moderation

One of the best pieces of advice that Jen Wilson, founder of the Warrior Woman Project, has given me is to only change one or two small things at any given time.

Too often we decide to overhaul everything at once: diet, fitness, hobbies, career goals, finances. Never is that more true than in January when the perennial "New Year, New You!" mantra is trotted out. Sadly, that can very quickly prove overwhelming and set us up for failure.

"When I am working with clients we assess where they are in their life, work out the biggest priority and go from there," says Wilson. "Everyone's starting point is different so the changes implemented for one person are often completely different for the next.

"Take everything day-by-day. If you mess up and take a step back, don't give up. Reassess and start again: maybe the change you made wasn't the right one for you. The key is consistency."

N = no

Don't be afraid to turn down social invites. See also: A = alone time.

O = outdoors

Whether it's a brisk walk around the block or a leisurely cycle, outside is free. And you'll feel all the better for blowing away the cobwebs.

See also: F = frugal

P = potluck supper

Invite friends and family round for a potluck supper: a cheap and cheerful evening. Chilli con carne, casseroles and baked pastas such as lasagne are always a winner. It is also the perfect opportunity to use up any leftover festive sweets, snacks and beverages.

Q = quiet

Think Tom Hanks in Castaway and you're halfway there.

R = reading material

For those with book tokens burning a hole in their pockets, Little Deaths by Emma Flint (Picador, 12.99) – published on Thursday – is being tipped as one of 2017's hot reads.

Two angelic-looking children disappear from a New York apartment in 1965. Their mother, Ruth Malone, tells police she awoke to find the bedroom window open, her son and daughter gone. Both are found dead a few days later.

The Herald:

Flint's psychological crime debut is based on the real case of Alice Crimmins who, like main protagonist Ruth, was arrested and convicted based on flimsy evidence. Yet, long before reaching a courtroom, the attractive cocktail waitress was tried by public opinion.

Also published this week is The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (Del Rey, £12.99), an enchanting deep winter story set against a backdrop of snow-strewn wilderness in Russia. Inspired by fairy tales and folklore, it delivers a coming-of-age awakening with a delicious twist.

Another novel generating a sizeable buzz is Sirens by Joseph Knox (Doubleday, £12.99), out this Thursday. A crime debut set in Manchester – dubbed "razor-sharp urban noir" by Lee Child – it launches a series featuring DC Aidan Waits.

S = stargazing

The long nights are ideal for amateur astronomy. The Scottish Dark Sky Observatory (scottishdarkskyobservatory.co.uk) is hosting events this month including Dark Sky Fridays and Stargazing Saturdays. Tickets: £15 (adults), £10 (concessions).

The Planetarium Lates series at the Glasgow Science Centre (glasgowsciencecentre.org) on January 14 and 21 offers a live presenter-led show that includes an expert-led tour of the cosmos alongside cutting-edge astronomy news. Tickets: £5.

The Herald:

T = television

Fortitude returns to Sky Atlantic and NOWTV on January 26, accompanied with the chilling taglines "the demon is among us", "nobody gets out alive" and "bad things come at night". It is for not the faint of heart.

The thriller – set amid the bleak and barren backdrop of Arctic Norway – has topped up its ensemble cast with recruits including Dennis Quaid, Michelle Fairley and Ken Stott.

Spoof police reality TV show Scot Squad is back on BBC One Scotland (Wednesdays, 10.40pm). Look out our interview with loveable dafty Bobby and long-suffering Officer Karen, aka Darren Connell and Karen Bartke, in The Herald Magazine next week.

Britain's Ancient Capital: Secrets of Orkney will explore the recent discoveries that have turned the Stone Age map upside down. Presented by Neil Oliver alongside Chris Packham, Andy Torbet and Dr Shini Somara, the three-part series continues on Monday (BBC Two, 9pm).

U = upcycle

One man's trash is another one's treasure. Reincarnate old furniture and give unwanted items a new purpose in life: be it transforming a shabby chic sideboard into a kitchen island or turning an old gin bottle into a lamp.

Check out websites such as upcyclethat.com and the Upcycle Hub on Gumtree for inspiration.

See also C = crafts.

V = Vinyl

Get old records out, crank up the volume and dance around the living room.

W = wanderlust

Transcend the doldrums by planning a holiday. Travel guide experts Lonely Planet has tipped Canada, Colombia, Finland, Dominica, Nepal, Bermuda, Mongolia, Oman, Myanmar and Ethiopia as its top 10 countries to visit in 2017.

It's a big year for Canada marking its 150th anniversary of independence. The cosmopolitan chic of Toronto, historic charm of Quebec City and Montreal, and the vivid autumnal colours of New Brunswick are among its many lures.

Finland will celebrate a centenary of independence with a packed calendar of events including the opening of the Hossa National Park in June, home to pine forests, rivers and ancient rock art.

Colombia, meanwhile, is shrugging off its reputation as a destination for only hardcore travellers following decades of civil war and violent crime.

Rough Guides, meanwhile, has Scotland in its top 10 (at No 2 behind India) citing a road trip around the North Coast 500 as one of the top reasons to visit. Perhaps a staycation is in order?

X = xtreme

OK, I know I'm taking liberties but cut me some slack. It was either this or suggesting you take up the xylophone.

The goal: do one thing every day that gets the blood pumping and makes you feel alive. It doesn't need to be jumping out of a plane or tightrope walking between two skyscrapers. But it does need to be something personal and fulfilling.

Y = yum

January doesn't need to be about depriving yourself of treats entirely as you wage war on any extra pounds gained during recent revelry.

Think 80/20. No one can eat perfectly all the time, but if you manage 80 per cent that's a decent accomplishment.

See also: M = moderation.

Z = zzzzzzz

Seriously, this is dreariest and most desolate month. Hibernate, get plenty of shut eye and revive your va-va-voom. See you all in February. Or maybe June.

READ MORE: Herald writer Susan Swarbrick gets to grips with a sewing class