The phone is ringing, your e-mail inbox continues to fill, and the stack of papers on your desk grows exponentially as the hours tick by.  A sense of panic sets in as the overwhelming nature of your workday takes hold.  Do you have the tools and techniques mastered for gaining control of your to-dos and maintaining your sanity in today's fast-paced business environment?

Time management isn't a skill you're born with — it's something any individual can learn and master with the right tools and strategies.  From improving communication and streamlining workflow to identifying time-wasters and minimizing interruptions, there are numerous strategies for gaining more control over your tasks, time, and priorities than you ever thought possible.

Now, here are "Rick’s Tips" that may help get you a little more organized (they work for me):

  • Identify and overcome your unique set of time-wasters, including procrastination, socializing, disorganization, lack of direction, blurred focus, unwanted interruptions, and more
  • Prioritize your to-do list from urgent to unimportant in order to complete the critical tasks first
  • Assert yourself and say "no" when necessary, while defining expectations and clearly communicating what you can do
  • Put technology to work for you during the workday when possible, using time-saving programs like Launchy, Quicksilver, Hyperwords, Autohotkey, Memokeys, Google Calendar, Rescue Time, and other applications
  • Select the appropriate tools — or create your own! — or do it the old fashioned way, develop a paper-based time management system that works for you

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