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After taking on a new project or agreeing to serve on yet another committee or task force that you’ll fit it into your schedule, stop and count the cost.   Why?  Because you can’t just fit it in…..without squeezing something else out.  Your 24 hours per day is already allocated to other things.  And – if you add something new – you have to take away time on something else.  

For example, if you spend less time watching TV, lessen time spent on aimless socializing, or shrink time on other unimportant things – that sounds like a positive exchange.  But, if it is less time for your family, your sleep, your exercise, or an important work item – squeezing time from those things doesn’t sound like a good tradeoff, does it?

The point:  think carefully before agreeing to a new commitment by counting the cost of what you’ll do less of and if it is worth it.

In the last week, I’ve spoken to several people who do not write down their goals (if they even have goals) and things they have or want to do.  They rely on their memories to keep track of things.  This is a terrible idea!  Long time guru David Allen, author of the classic Getting Things Done book, says that “the mind is a horrible office”.

My #1 time management tip is to have a Master List on which you write down all you have or want to do – big things and small ones alike – and don’t prioritize them.  Then, when you plan your day or, better, your week, you use the list to survey all your “stuff” and decide what to tackle that day or week.  The key is having one list and not a bunch of them including sticky notes.  Try this for two or three weeks and see what you think.  I’ll bet you will make it a permanent practice.  Of course, David Allen’s Getting Things Done approach is more elaborate but, as a first step, the Master List is a great place to start.