Posted on September 18, 2012 by Cynthia Gunsinger

¨If I had more time…I would….¨

As you take on more responsibility and with continually increasing demands, it’s no wonder you feel this way. Prolonged feelings of stress, overwhelm and frustration undermine your physical health, results at work, and life at home.

Before implementing a system of my own, my days would generally be filled with me putting out fires, jumping from one task to another, needing to review the same emails over every few hours, papers all around: I could go on forever. I was not optimizing my time and my work began to suffer. I decided to spend a few hours to creating a system in my work life which would eventually free up hours in my week.

Step 1. Collect and Gather

Start by writing down everything you think you have to do, need to do and ought to do. Download all of the things you have on your mind; all your incomplete tasks and free up space for more creative thinking!

Clear your office and desk, your inbox, your mind.

Use collection containers (in basket, e-mail, lists) and review and empty your collection containers regularly.

Step 2. Process

On all of these things: what is the next action? Does it get on the immediate action list, can you delegate it, trash it or put it on your follow up list?

Process what comes in using the two minute rule: if you can do it in less than 2 minutes, do it. ie. Make a call. More time consuming? Put it on your action list. Comprised of many actions? Put it on your project list.

 Step 3. Plan

Prioritize your actions. Keep your goals at the top of your mind and be realistic when estimating the time you set to work on something.

Plan each day, prior to that day. Use a weekly planner that is synchronized with your calendar, and plan your day working from your collection containers.

Review your project and action lists daily to confirm that you’re doing the most important thing right now.

Step 4. Take Action

Do what you have planned to do! Remove all distractions when working; limit your interruptions and only check your email at certain times. Remember to leave buffer room in your day for any changes.

Notice where you are hesitating to take action and motivate your self! Manage your actions and you will manage your time.

Step 5: Check In

Frequently ask yourself questions to gauge how your system is running.

• Am I reaching commitments and deadlines? If not, why? What needs to change? 
• Do I do what is urgent and important AND not urgent and important? 
• What bad habits steal my time? Do my daily actions move me closer to my goals? 
• What must change in order for me to have more time?

Combine the most useful techniques and create your own system. Systems allow you to easily see your results and then make changes to get what you want.

What works best for you may certainly not work best for somebody else, so through trial and error, your system will change and improve over time.

What systems work for you? We want to hear about your successful systems in the comments below!

Writer Kirstin O´Donovan is a Productivity Coach on Noomii.com.

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