Prioritize Tasks, Schedule Time, Minimize Stress.
If you have a problem with being on time, try setting your watch ten minutes early to be sure you won’t be late. Act according to the time on the watch not the “real” time. Remember your travel time to and from an appointment and schedule that as well.
One way to reduce stress is to SCHEDULE your workday.
Prioritize your TO DO List, 1-2-3 in order of importance – Do the most important thing first, or when you are at your optimum mental performance level. It may be early in the day or late in the afternoon. Determine when it is for you and work accordingly.
Do not schedule too many high priority items or tasks for one week or one day.
Do not let 3’s become 1’s due to inattention.
Make appointments with yourself to get work done. KEEP the appointment!
Wasted time is doubled effort, and increased stress. Searching for misplaced items and information wastes time. Be sure everything in your office and home has a place to “live” and keep it there, whether it’s the stapler on the desk, or electronic files. Take it out and put it back where it belongs. (Wasn’t that Day 2 in Kindergarten???)
Break each project into manageable steps. Be Realistic. Do not keep adding to each step unnecessarily.
Delegate when possible – if you are not the only one involved in accomplishing a task or project, others should share certain responsibilities throughout the cycle of completing the project.
Projects will expand to fill available time, so schedule the time. Set completion dates for the overall project and also for each step. Work toward each date until it is done.
Remember that when you are scheduling your time, one of the hardest things to do is to say NO. Mastering the art of saying “no” to unrealistic expectations is not easy, but can be one of the most freeing things that you ever learn to do.