Managing Time

I need to manage my time better. My perception of time is going by faster each day. Sometimes that is good. Other times, I feel like time is getting away from me. Some suggestions from Alan Lakein, one of the gurus of Time Management:


1. Count all your time as time to be used and make every attempt to get satisfaction out of every moment.

2. Find something to enjoy in whatever you do.

3. Try to be an optimist and seek out the good in your life.

4. Find ways to build on your successes.

5. Stop regretting your failures and start learning from your mistakes.

6. Remind yourself, "There is always enough time for the important things." If it is important, you should be able to make time to do it.

7. Continually look at ways of freeing up your time.

8. Examine your old habits and search for ways to change or eliminate them.

9. Try to use waiting time-review notes or do practice problems.

10. Keep paper or a calendar with you to jot down the things you have to do or notes to yourself.

11. Examine and revise your lifetime goals on a monthly basis and be sure to include progress towards those goals on a daily basis.

12. Put up reminders in your home or office about your goals.

13. Always keep those long term goals in mind.

14. Plan your day each morning or the night before and set priorities for yourself.

15. Maintain and develop a list of specific things to be done each day, set your priorities and the get the most important ones done as soon in the day as you can. Evaluate your progress at the end of the day briefly.

16. Look ahead in your month and try and anticipate what is going to happen so you can better schedule your time.

17. Try rewarding yourself when you get things done as you had planned, especially the important ones.

18. Do first things first.

19. Have confidence in yourself and in your judgment of priorities and stick to them no matter what.

20. When you catch yourself procrastinating-ask yourself, "What am I avoiding?"

21. Start with the most difficult parts of projects, then either the worst is done or you may find you don't have to do all the other small tasks.

22. Catch yourself when you are involved in unproductive projects and stop as soon as you can.

23. Find time to concentrate on high priority items or activities.

24. Concentrate on one thing at a time.

25. Put your efforts in areas that provide long term benefits.

26. Push yourself and be persistent, especially when you know you are doing well.

27. Think on paper when possible-it makes it easier to review and revise.

28. Be sure and set deadlines for yourself whenever possible.

29. Delegate responsibilities whenever possible.

30. Ask for advice when needed.


Adapted from A. Lakein. How to Get Control of Your Time And Your Life