Trying to be a perfect person sets you up for defeat. Nobody can be perfect. Difficult tasks usually result in avoidance and procrastination. You need to set achievable goals, but they should also be challenging. There will always be people both weaker and stronger than you. ¹

Your concentration can be easily lost in the sea of many boring or less important things waiting to be done in your head. Undone things circulating in your mind are also a big drain of your mental energy. Most often, there is no way to get those things out of your mind except of either doing them or scheduling them in a trustable system, convincing your mind that they will be done in due time. ²

Like many people, you may be spending the majority of your time on a small percentage of your tasks. Prioritizing will ensure you spend your time and energy on those that are truly important to you. ³ Put things that are most important at the top and do them first. If it's easier, use a planner to track all of your tasks. And don't forget to reward yourself for your accomplishments. ⁴

Turn off your cell phone and beeper. When someone asks you to do something that you really don't have time to do, say so, politely, but firmly. And don't allow yourself to feel guilty. ⁵

By having a clear and precise plan for each day you have a target to aim at which eliminates many of the hours wasted in-between tasks or thinking about what to do next. Along with a daily plan, there should also be longer term goals to work towards. Setting daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals can dramatically increase your focus and productivity. ⁶

Another of the important time management tips is putting a limit on everything from Internet time to TV to video games. These are the classic time-killers and can zap hours out of anyone's day without them feeling it and in the end, nothing was gained and valuable time was lost. Try to watch as little TV as possible. Nothing kills hours more than sitting around staring into a box. ⁷

Do you find yourself overwhelmed by the number of projects you have at work or the depth of these projects? Do you feel the day flies by without your devoting the necessary attention to each assignment because other tasks keep landing on your desk, or because you can't get it all organized? ⁸

Planning your day can help you feel more in control of your life. Write a to-do list, putting the most important tasks at the top. Keep a schedule of your daily activities to minimize conflicts and last-minute rushes. ⁹

The first, most important daily time management tip is to make lists. This is a basic thing and it can be very helpful. Get a notebook and make a to-do list everyday. Keep the notebook somewhere where you will see it, not in a place where you will completely forget about it. Every time you finish something, mark it off and also make a note on what you didn't get to. ¹⁰

You probably know that effective time management will help you get more done each day. It has important health benefits, too. By managing your time more wisely, you can minimize stress and improve your quality of life. ¹¹ Some of the most stressed people around lack the skill to 'just say no' for fear of upsetting people. ¹²

If you know that you are inclined toward time management problems, which is common for right-brained people, you should acknowledge that time planning may not be an inborn skill for you and that you may need help. Consider locating a seminar or other means of organizational skills improvement and treat it as a skill to learn and revisit from time to time. ¹³