Basic Time Management Rules

1. Always work with some kind of prioritized “to do” list system that is divided into an “A-1” list (the things I must get done this week). Put these off and it will hurt you in some way. An A list (the things that will become A-1’s soon and they are the next most important to do), a “B” list (the things that soon will become an “A” but not this week unless something changes) and a “C” list (wishes and things I can put off and it will not hurt me that much).


2. Keep your “to do” lists together and near you as often as possible.

3. Develop a Project “to do” list whose action steps get pulled into you’re A-B-C “to do” lists, as well as a Long Term “to do” list.

4. Have a fail safe method to record “to do” items if you cannot put them on your list at the time.
5. Have a normal, routine time each day to update your “to do” lists.

6. Computerize your “to do” lists so you do not have to keep rewriting them.

7. Have a proven system to efficiently handle the influx of day to day material and information.

8. Do not let e-mails eat up precious time. Devise a triage system and follow it systematically avoiding any time wasters.

9. Once every Saturday morning, Sunday night or early Monday morning go over your “to do” lists and update them for the coming week.

10. Make sure you build into your schedule family time and social time or it will be squeezed out.
11. Have a date night with your spouse (or at least one night where you spend real quality time together) and follow it religiously.

12. Schedule and devote time to a hobby and if you do not have one, develop one because it is a great battery re-charger for you.

13. Develop life goals that are short (immediate to six months), medium (sixth months to one year), then one to two years, two to five years and finally beyond that.

14. You must have a productive workplace that is conducive of a relaxed, uncluttered environment.

15. Schedule sharp start and stop times for meetings you control with prioritized agendas.

16. If you have people who waste your time, you must come up with an assertive action plan to keep them moving along so you can get work done.

17. Find out when your peak productive periods are in the day and utilize that time to the fullest.
18. Have little rewards built in for yourself when you accomplish great tasks and projects.

19. Focus on doing it right the first time (DIRTFT) but try to avoid being anal or a perfectionists because this will really drive you nuts.

20. Inspect what you expect when you delegate but don’t take the project back and take the time in the first place, painful as it might be, to properly train someone to do the task correctly.

21. Remember, get it done and tackle the biggest ones first early in the morning.