by Jamie Novak - Used by permission
1. When making an appointment, try to get the first one of the day or the first one after lunch. There is a better chance you will be taken on time.
2. Finally get rid of your stacks of magazines. Go through them at one sitting by skimming the table of contents and ripping out any articles of interest. Staple the articles together and place in a file labeled ‘to read’. Carry the folder with you when you may end up with spare time, like at a doctor’s appointment.
3. Change all of your bill due dates to the same day so you can pay bills one time a month. Call your creditors and ask them to change your due date. You might also try online bill paying or automatic bill paying to a credit card.
4. Run all your errands at one time. Start with the one farthest away from your house and finish up with the one closest to your house. Make a list before you go and gather all the things you need in one spot to ensure you have them with you while you are out.
5. Wear a watch and have clocks in all rooms. Use a timer when doing specific projects to keep you aware of how long it is taking you.
6. Remember that just because the phone rings does not mean you have to answer it. Allow your answering machine to screen your calls; you will avoid sales calls.
7. When you cook make a double portion and freeze the extra to have on a night when you are running late.
8. Call ahead before going. Call to confirm appointments. Call ahead for restaurant seating. Call to make sure the store has what you are going for.
9. Finish what you start. If you are in the middle of a project and remember something else you have to do jot it down do not interrupt your current project.
10. Buy a large variety of greeting cards. Keep in a file separated by category. That way when you need to send one out you do not have to stop at the store. Also keep a few generic gifts and gift-wrap or gift bags on hand.
11. Separate your to-do list from your ‘I wish I had time to do this list.’ Your to-do list is made up of the 5-10 tasks you actually plan to accomplish during the day. Create a separate list for all the tasks you would like to get to someday.
12. Create some sort of permanent desk space instead of using the dining room table. If space is a challenge consider a fold away desk or a simple slim table with chair.
13. Go through your mail one time a day. Open it near the garbage can (shredder and/or recycling can). Have your calendar and to-do list handy to jot down dates and tasks.
14. Type a grocery list of your most used items. Make 52 copies. Place one on the refrigerator a week to check off what you need instead of writing out the list.
15. Prepare for your morning the night before. Gather everything you will need, like purse, keys, and briefcase. Choose your cloths and set the table for breakfast.
16. Create caddies for commonly done projects. Like a bill paying caddy that has stamps and return address labels. A cleaning caddy with multipurpose cleaner and rags. A sandwich caddy that has all the items needed to make a sandwich so you do not have to search the refrigerator.
17. Try not to buy items that require extra care, like silver to polish and knickknacks to dust around.
18. Remember that emergencies cost more then planned maintenance. Take you car in for regular servicing and make doctors appointments for yourself and family.
19. Before you start a project make sure you have all the tools you will need to finish.
20. When you need to make a call to someone that you know can be chatty start the call off with “I only have a minute but I wanted to call to…”
21. Turn on the TV only when your show is scheduled to begin and turn it off when your show ends. Turning the TV off 1 hour a week gives you 52 extra hours.
22. The single most effective time management tool is ‘no’. Before you say yes ask yourself what will you be saying no to?
23. Return phone calls right before lunch or at the end of the day. There is a better chance you will catch the person and they will not be so chatty.
24. Adopt a ‘do it now’ mentality. Some projects take more time to write down on a to-do list than they actually take to do the task.
25. Consider delegating tasks to someone who capable of doing them. Or hire out projects. Is it worth the few dollars it will cost to hire a neighborhood child to mow you lawn, then the time it will take you to do it yourself?
Jamie Novak is a dynamic speaker, television personality, and best-selling author who inspires people to calm the chaos of clutter and live a life based on their priorities in a humorous and heartwarming way. Novak provides real solutions for those living in the real world, she promises never to suggest impractical solutions. http://www.jamienovak.com
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