73 - 7 Time Management Secrets Anyone Can Use

Having trouble focusing on what you really need to do? You're not alone. According to a survey by Salary.com, the average worker admits to wasting 2.09 hours of each eight-hour workday, not including lunch or scheduled breaks. The Web is like the next-door neighbor who keeps asking us to play when we know we have homework to do. Thankfully, there's an entire community of people who specialize in productivity and time management. Their guru is David Allen, author of the 2001 book Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. Others include Merlin Mann, founder of the blog 43 Folders, and the highly addictive Lifehacker.com. Here are some of their best ideas to help you declutter your life and make way for big, creative boosts of productivity.

1. Take control of your e-mail

Technology is a great servant but a terrible master. David Allen says that if replying to or disposing of an e-mail takes less than two minutes, you should always do so right away. Do not have an alert flashing on your computer every time a new e-mail comes in. Send less to receive less: Keep your e-mails short, and write fewer of them. If possible, only check your e-mail at designated times during the day.

2. Take a few minutes several times a day to clear your mind and refocus your thoughts

You don't need to sit in the lotus position and chant, but walking around the block or just taking a few minutes away from your computer screen can help you stay much more mentally fresh and focused at work.

3. Make the most of to-do lists

David Allen says that everyone should have an organized, clear and simple way of writing down everything they need to remember. That way you never need to lie in bed at night trying to recall some crucial thing you're sure you've forgotten. Productivity experts say you should keep multiple lists, including a short list of one to three things that you absolutely need to do each day. Hand off anything that can be delegated, and be realistic about what you can reasonably accomplish in a day. Don't set yourself up for failure by starting each day with an unrealistically long agenda.

4. If possible, set aside healthy blocks of creative time

The goal of time management is to free yourself up to focus on deeper thinking. Try to schedule stretches of creative time throughout the day, when you mute your phone's ringer, close your door and avoid e-mail.

5. Eliminate unnecessary meetings

Be ruthless about protecting your time. Say no to every meeting that isn't truly necessary.

6. Avoid multitasking

Do only one thing at a time, and work on that task in bursts of up to an hour.

7. Clear off your desk

Spend the last 15 minutes of each workday cleaning off your desk. Trash what you don't need. File things once a day. Per David Allen, only touch any piece of paper once. Act on it, and move on.

Read the full article here: Forbes

All the best!

Patty Block