Make a daily to-do list and rank items in order of importance. Schedule your day to do the most important things when your energy is highest. That way, you give your best self to the most important tasks
Delegate
Delegate any jobs that you don't personally need to deal with. Make sure tasks are done at the right level for the job. If you can't delegate, consider whether the job needs doing at all.
Don't procrastinate
Accept risks as inevitable. Gather information, give yourself a deadline and make a choice. That's what you are paid to do.
Simplify your environment.
Clutter in your home or office can create a stressful environment. Remove clutter, personal and physical. Get organised. Archive files you no longer use. Dispose of articles that are no longer relevant. Place things you need regularly in easy to get at places. Create the right environment for each activity. A place for everything and everything in its place.
Learn to walk away and say "no"
Don't pile the pressure on yourself. Before you agree to do someone a favour, check with yourself if you have the resources. If not, say so politely but firmly.
Keep a diary and identify activities you don't need/like
Make sure that you haven't filled your days with activities that might have been important once, but no longer need doing.
Find time for time-out
Set aside sometime in the day for quiet reflection when you can get your thoughts organised and unwind.
Think positive and be pro-active
Break up big jobs into smaller jobs and tasks that can be tackled more easily. Give yourself a deadline for completing each task which will allow you to achieve the overall task in plenty of time.
Meetings and telephone calls
Establish clear objectives at the outset and set a time limit. Plan in advance wherever possible to make you are fully briefed and take all the appropriate documents with you. Establish meeting rules.
Use modern technology
Modern technology can save you time. Make sure you know how to get the best out of it. Learn to use the extra features on your phone such as voicemail. Go on an appropriate computer course for the products you use regularly. Learn the short-cuts and use them.
