24 Time Management Tips → Ian's Messy Desk

Know what is important to you. Figure out your values.
Make goals and review them regularly to keep focus.
Learn to delegate: co-workers, professionals, family members, neighbour teenagers earning extra money can all help with your workload.
Learn to say no.
Stop being a perfectionist. Not everything has to be done perfectly.
Clear the clutter from your desk.
Use a paper or electronic planner.
Empty your planner of clutter and junk. Put loose pieces of paper in your in-box to catch during your daily/weekly review.
Keep your planner with you at all times.
Do not keep a bunch of calendars around. Use only one so everything is in one place.
Keep a master list of all the things you need to do, call, see, write, etc. Don’t use loose notes that can easily get lost.
Plan your day the night before.
Tidy your desk before you leave work.
Try to spend time on planning and important things so you are not always “putting out fires.”
Listen to CDs or mp3s during your commute or household tasks.
Answer routine letters by answering them on the original. Photocopy your message for your own files then send off the original.
Turn off the television.
Use a timer to track how you use your time.
Relax when you are relaxing and work when you are working.
Have a simple filing system and keep it up to date.
Get rid of things that don’t work: pens, gadgets, equipment, etc.
Do the difficult things first.
Make your waiting time productive.
Periodically analyze your work flow with a time log.