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Eliminate These Six Time Suckers and Take Control of Your Day

If you are already a high achiever who stillfrom your spouse and children. That way, you
has time to do everything you need and wantdon't need to keep checking the caller ID
to do, then stop reading right now and sendevery time it rings.Ask your employees,
me YOUR time management tips. If not, youcoworkers and family to send high priority
can effortlessly and automatically addmessages with 911 or some other special code
several hours of productive time to your weekat the beginning of the subject line, to make
with the following strategies.1. Limitsure you read those first when you do scan
Television. There's a reason the TV carriesyour new mail. Keep in mind that probably
such disparaging nicknames as the "idiot box"90% of so-called emergencies can be handled
and "boob tube." For many people, theby someone else. Whether you own the place
television wastes incredible amounts ofor just reside high enough up the food chain
precious time. I'm not saying all TV isto warrant urgent calls for help, letting
evil; it's simply a matter of priorities.your staff learn how to make good decisions
Many people who say they have no time towill save everyone time in the long run.
exercise always find time to watch TheWhen you leave a phone message for someone
Sopranos, American Idol, and CSI. If you'reelse, leave a good callback time to avoid the
going to watch something, get a DVR, if youdreaded, time-consuming telephone tag.
don't already have one. At least you canExample voice mail: "Good afternoon, this is
record your must-see TV and fast fowardJoe Block, from Block & Block, returning your
through the commercials when you watch itphone call. I can be reached at
later. I can't stay up late enough to watch401-555-1772 between the hours of 2:00 to
Jay Leno, but since we got the DVR a couple3:00 this afternoon, or tomorrow morning
of years ago, I watch his monologue everybetween 10:00 and noon. I look forward to
morning while eating breakfast. I have neveryour call." If possible, change your voice
seen nor have any desire to watch most ofmail greeting each day to indicate the best
today's popular TV shows. Occasionally, Itimes to reach you. Example greeting:
get around to the list of episodes of"Hello, this is Joe Block with Block & Block.
Mythbusters on our DVR, usually on a morningI'm sorry I missed your call. Today is
when the previous night's Leno was aFriday, June 5th, and I will be in the office
rerun.There are almost always more importantbetween 9:00 and 10:00 this morning, as well
things to do in the evening than watch TV,as from 3:00 to 5:00 this afternoon. If
like building my business or reading to myyou'd like to leave a message, please do so
toddler. If you run your own business, thinkafter the tone."5. Put the Brakes on
of it in terms of your hourly rate. How muchWaiting. You can both minimize waiting and
would a customer or client pay you, or howmake the most of time that you must spend
much could you earn in other ways, during thewaiting. While waiting on the telephone on
hour you spend watching that rerun of Law &hold, check and respond to email. While
Order? Of course, you can't put a price ondriving to work or waiting in traffic, listen
family time, and you can't give fullto educational or motivational audiobooks.
attention to your spouse or offspring withUse this time to learn a foreign language or
one eye on the tube. If you have the spaceperhaps pick up new business strategies from
and funds to furnish a room with aone of the many tycoons who have written
television, DVD player and/or DVR, and abooks.When scheduling medical appointments,
treadmill, you can actually make good use oftry to get the earliest available
your TV time. Add more exercise equipmentappointment. Some  of  the
for even better results. You can make time
for your favorite programs while staying inbest medical providers get way behind as the
shape.2. Banish Mindless Internet Surfing &day progresses because they spend whatever
Computer Games. The Internet is a wonderful,time is necessary to answer all of their
miraculous piece of work, but can alsopatients' questions and attend to their
quickly pull you into a nearly infiniteneeds. The later your appointment time, the
galaxy of interesting but not-terribly-usefullonger you will wait. Avoid Monday and
information. You can easily lose track ofFriday medical appointments for routine
time while clicking one intriguing link aftervisits. Sick people line up to be seen
another. Many folks set timers for theirbefore the weekend, or call first thing
children to limit their computer time, butMonday after feeling progressively worse all
think nothing of losing valuable sleep timeweekend. Avoiding Mondays and Fridays means
staring dazedly at the screen. Computeravoiding the most crowded waiting rooms full
games also can quickly suck the life bloodof
out of your work and family time. If you're
not careful, you'll lose track of time - timesick people and their germs.Since some
that could be spent in more productiveamount of waiting is inevitable, always take
endeavors.3. Turn Away From Office Gossip.along a newspaper, magazine or book to pass
Resist the temptation to spend 15 minutesthe time. Some medical offices rely on
here and there in idle chit-chat withdonations of old magazines from employees to
coworkers. Don't get me wrong - some degreefill their racks. If a 1999 issue of Field &
of relationship building at work isStream doesn't interest you, you'll be glad
important, even critical to your professionalyou brought along today's newspaper.
happiness and success. But you can easilyAlternately, you can use the free service to
turn 15 minutes here and 15 minutes theredownload fresh content directly to your PDA
into a major disruption. The next thingbefore any appointment. It's a great way to
you'll be discussing is that you don't havecarry around enough reading material for a
nearly enough time to do all of your work,long wait without needing a heavy backpack.6.
and you don't know where the day has gone!4.Don't Finish It Just Because You Started It.
Disconnect From Constant Monitoring of EmailIf the book doesn't live up to its ratings,
& Phone Calls. Just because you can beor you bought into the hype of a very bad
constantly available doesn't mean that youmovie, you have already wasted money. Don't
must be. If you have a secretary orwaste your time as well. I have abandoned
assistant, this person can screen your calls,books after only a few chapters and walked
visitors and emails. Set aside time on yourout of the theater during terrible flicks.
calendar to return calls and answer emails.Studying reviews may save you both the
Many unannounced outside visitors will bedollars and the hours sometimes, but not
salespeople. They often provide a valuablealways.Please note that I am not heaping
service by introducing you to new or lesscriticism upon those who watch hours of TV,
expensive products and services, but out ofspend a lot of time in conversation with
consideration for your time, they should makecoworkers, check their Blackberries every 10
an appointment, if you have any interest inminutes, surf the Internet, play video games
their wares. If you have no interestor read boring books. I merely offer an
whatsoever, don't waste their time or yours.outline for raising your achievement level by
When you're in a time crunch, close yourbreaking away from common time traps. The
email program so that you are not tempted torest is up to you.Beth McIntire is a
keep checking it. You can program your cellmarketing guru, technical writer and computer
phone with a distinctive ring for calls thatgeek.
you know you'll want to accept, like those



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