Chances are you've taken a time management class at some point in your life, read about it in books, and tried to use an electronic or paper day planner to organize, prioritize, and plan your day.
"Why, with this knowledge and these gadgets," you may ask, "do I still feel like I can't get everything done that I need to do?" Some people feel like they are always too busy, but hopefully, after using these tips, that will no longer be the case!
Make appointments with yourself
A time should be assigned to each activity or conversation that is important to your success. Task lists get longer and longer to the point where they are unworkable. Schedule appointments with yourself and create time blocks for high-priority thoughts, conversations, and actions. Plan when they begin and end. Have the discipline to keep these appointments.
Determine what result you want to achieve
Before each conversation and task, take five minutes to define your goal. This will help you know what success looks like before you begin. And it will also slow down time. After each conversation and activity, take five minutes to determine if the desired result was achieved. If not, what was missing? How do you put what was missing into your next call or activity?
Spend a week keeping a journal
Use a calendar to record a week's worth of time spent on calls, projects, and activities (work and non-work related). This will help you understand how much you can do in a day and where your precious moments go. You will see how much time is spent producing results and how much time is wasted on unproductive thoughts, conversations, and actions.
Schedule time for interruptions
Schedule time to be distracted from what you are doing. Take for example the concept of a professor having 'office hours. Isn't 'office hours' another way of saying 'scheduled interruptions'?
Don't give people your attention right away
Practice not answering the phone just because it rings and emails just because they show up. Disconnect from instant messaging. Don't give people your attention right away unless it's critical in your business to provide an immediate human response. Instead, schedule a time to answer emails and return phone calls.
Use the first half hour of each day to plan your day
Experts recommend using the first 30 minutes of each day to plan the rest of your day. Don't start your day until you have completed your schedule. The most important time of your day is the time you schedule to schedule time.