1. STOP TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE.
   Take each moment as it comes and decide (quickly) what the most important task at hand is. Get on with it and don’t do anything else until it is done.
2. STOP TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING YOURSELF.
   Delegate, hire people and ask for help.
3. LEARN TO SAY NO.
   Decide what you want to or are prepared to do and say “no” to everything else. Don’t worry too much about what others will think if you say no. It is acceptable. Suggesting someone else who could do the job might help.
4. CONTROL THE TELEPHONE.
   Use your answering machine and return calls at your convenience.
   Give your friends and business associates a time to call you.
   Ask people to call you back.
   Give a specific time to call back when leaving a message.
5. DON’T PUT THINGS OFF.
   Get the tings you don’t want to do over with. Make it the day’s priority or the
   first thing you tackle. Divide large tasks into smaller, more manageable
   ones. Reward yourself for completing them deciding first what your reward is so that you have something to look forward to.

Heather Buckley - Silicon Beach Training

A recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows just how good a midday siesta can be for you.

The study of Greek people shows that those who took a break from the stresses of their job by taking a nap showed a much lower risk of heart disease, they also had lower stress hormone levels.
Between one and three in the afternoon is the most effective time to nap when the body’s temperature has peaked and is dropping. How does this save time? If you nap for 15 minutes midday then your performance levels are considerably higher. You make less mistakes and can think more clearly. Naps should be for not longer then 45 mins. You do not have to lie down, just get comfortable, support your head and shut your eyes - you should not fall into a deep sleep. It can help to darken the room if possible. A power nap of 15 -20 minutes right before an important meeting or a test can dramatically improve your performance and concentration..

Allocating as little as 15 minutes a day to working out how much time you will spend on each task can greatly improve performance and the important steps you need to make to take your company forward will not be ignored and pushed to the bottom of the pile. 

Choose a time that works for you, maybe at the beginning of the day or last thing before your leave.

• Decide on which tasks are important and sort out all the papers you will need. Clear your desk of anything else.
• Work out a schedule and plan for interruptions, ie: do not fill your entire day.
• Make 2 categories
   
  1. things that need more attention
  2. things you can deal with quickly
      
• Quickly put the 1. category items in the order you will deal with them
• Order category 2 leaving the most interesting till last. This will motivate you to get to the end.
• Give yourself a time limit for each category 2 item
• Work quickly through the category 2 files and then proceed in priority to category 1 files

One of the most important things to remember is to set the time limits and stick to them. This will make this procedure a success and a very effective time management tool. In time customer and staff satisfaction should improve, and generally stress for you and your employees should be reduced.

Spending a proportion of your day devoted to goals or outcomes about the organisation of your work will make any manager more efficient.

1. Look at your relationship to perfection and procrastination think about whether fear is the source of your problems
2. Watch busy people and learn from them, how do they manage to accomplish things effectively
3. Set up basic and effective methods that work for tasks that occur routinely
4. Use specific times for reading/writing emails
5. Learn to say no
6. If you still find yourself saying yes when you mean no try delaying your response “I’ll let you know”, “I’ll call you back”
7. Be realistic about what you can achieve in a give time space
8. Ask for help, delegate
9. In your schedule allow time for the unexpected
10. Use templates for administrative tasks that you do regularly
11. Organise your workspace and keep it in order, don’t waste time looking for things
12. Believe in yourself and your instincts, make decisions quickly
13. Back up your work!

Writing a list of goals will give you the idea that you are in control that in turn can help your confidence to accomplish these goals as you are already anticipating success when you start your plan of action. This will boost your self confidence