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Find More Time

23 great ideas for getting it all done -- and getting the most out of life.

By Camille Noe Pagán
From Reader's Digest

Organizing for Efficiency

"I don't have enough time!" Forget about the fun stuff, like catching up with friends, a walk in the park or a trip to the mall. We're so busy, we barely have time to get a haircut, pay the bills or even have sex.

There's no way to add extra hours to the day, so what's a person with a bursting-at-the-seams schedule to do? "Get smarter about how you deal with the 24 hours you already have," says time-management guru Julie Morgenstern, author of Never Check E-Mail in the Morning. "In most cases, even the most overscheduled individual can fit everything in, with free time to spare. It's simply a matter of organizing your day to be more efficient."

We had Morgenstern and other productivity pros make over three super-busy people's schedules. They then road-tested the plans for two weeks.

The Do-It-All Dad
Eric Elkins, 39
Denver, Colorado
Vice president of marketing for a start-up, with a 45-minute commute to and from work
Single father of 7-year-old daughter

TIME-CRUNCHED SCHEDULE
"My job is the one constant in my life; everything else is all over the place. I split custody of my daughter, so for half the week and every other weekend, my spare time revolves around her. The rest of my time goes to my social life (dating, going to temple and seeing friends) and freelance writing, which I squeeze in at night. I never seem to have enough time for everything I love, let alone the things that simply need to get done. And housework swallows up my nights and weekends. It feels like I'm always doing laundry or cleaning my apartment."

What he puts on the back burner: "Quality time with my daughter, especially on weeknights. By the time we get home, have dinner and clean up, it's time for her to go to bed."

TAKE-CONTROL TIPS
Productivity pro: Laura Stack, author of Find More Time

1. Get out the door earlier.
Eric needs to be assertive about leaving the office at the end of the day. He should choose one day a week (let's say Thursday) to leave on time. He'll quickly notice that on Thursdays he's more productive. He can nip long meetings in the bud by scheduling one that usually takes 45 minutes in a 30-minute slot. Everyone will cut back on chitchat to get through business in the allotted time.

2. Be disciplined about drudge work.
Household chores eat up a lot of potential quality family time. Eric should choose one night (when his daughter isn't with him) to do these chores, so he has valuable dad-and-daughter time when she's around.

I also suggest that Eric hire a housecleaner. He can keep doing light tasks himself, while outsourcing particularly time-intensive chores, like laundry and heavy cleaning (vacuuming, scrubbing bathrooms and kitchens), every other week, say.

3. Make the most of the weekends.
Eric wants more quality time with his daughter on weekdays, but he'd feel better even if he focused on reclaiming weekends. Making specific plans to get out and play is key. They can go to the park, throw a tea party, go bowling. The goal is to spend time with his daughter -- not have her hang around while he works or cleans.

4. Clear the commute.
Eric's drive to work is a big time waster. Sometimes getting in the car just ten minutes earlier or later than usual is all it takes to avoid the major traffic rush. Using a voice recorder to dictate ideas and to-dos or listening to audiobooks during the drive won't save time, but it will at least make him feel that he's not wasting it. And I think it would be wise for Eric to consider searching for a new job that's closer to Denver -- if not now, then sometime in the near future.

5. Give yourself a reality check.
Often, time management isn't a matter of creating extra time but of changing your perspective. Eric says he's always on the road or working, but when I look at his schedule, I see that he's also exercising, going to temple, dating and seeing friends. He should remind himself that he doesn't have to be the perfect dad -- or mom, for that matter. He's there for his daughter, and that makes him a terrific parent. In short, he's already doing a great job managing his time and fitting good stuff in his life. Now all he needs to do is realize it!

PUTTING THE TIPS TO THE TEST
The best tip: "Laura's advice to dedicate weekends to my daughter was spot-on. During her last visit, instead of putting her in front of the computer while I worked, we went to the park. I also shaved about 15 minutes off my commute by leaving a few minutes later than I normally do."

Post-makeover progress: "I was surprised Laura thought I was already doing a good job managing my time. It made me realize that my life, though busy, is filled with the people and activities I love. That thought alone made me a lot less stressed about my schedule."

The Too-Busy-to-Get Organized Mom

Elizabeth Grace, 44
Boca Raton, Florida
Self-employed publicist
Single mother of 12-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son

TIME-CRUNCHED SCHEDULE
"I work up to 12 hours a day, and things at home are just as busy. My children are involved with sports, music and Scout troops, and have mountains of homework they need help with. I feel like I've morphed from a mom into a taskmaster: I'm constantly telling them, 'Finish your spelling, clean the table, get ready for soccer.' At night, I often end up catching up on work e-mail when I could be spending quality time with them. There isn't a second in my day that isn't occupied. It leaves me absolutely exhausted. On top of that, all my mail piles up, and I frequently discover I'm late on a payment or forgot to sign a permission slip. But I don't have the time to figure out a system to get on top of things."

What she puts on the back burner: "Getting organized, both personally and professionally, and relaxing with my children."

TAKE-CONTROL TIPS
Productivity pro: Ruth Klein, branding and productivity coach; author of Time Management Secrets for Working Women

1. Start the day in a better way.
Elizabeth is so busy "doing" that she doesn't have a moment of peace. The result: She's constantly frazzled, which wreaks havoc on her productivity and ability to manage time. The fix: Each morning, she should take ten minutes to sit in silence, breathing deeply while planning for the day.

2. Create a paper plan.
Organizing papers rarely takes more than 20 minutes a day -- if you keep up with it. Here's a system that can help Elizabeth get on top of hers. At work, divide everything into categories (clients, projects, tasks). Put each category in a labeled folder (use colored ones to help you ID them faster). File the folders where you can easily access them. Attach a note to each that says what needs to be done next (call client, book conference room). This prevents time being wasted shuffling through documents, trying to figure out the priorities.

At home, sort mail daily. Separate it into categories (bills, invitations, school papers). File each section in a multitiered holder, and check every other day to see if action needs to be taken (pay a bill, RSVP to a party).

3. Use the Rule of Two.
By focusing on the two most important tasks in her day, Elizabeth will stop being overwhelmed and will become more productive. She should ask herself, What two items would I take care of if I couldn't do anything else? Once they are finished, she can move on to the next items, and so on. Try it at home and work.

4. E-mail smarter.
Elizabeth wastes hours a day checking e-mail. To cut back, she should: 5. Get on a schedule.
Elizabeth should get a large calendar and hang it in a highly visible place, showing the nights she'll be out, the children's activities and the times, dates and locations. This will help her see at a glance what days and weeks are busier than others, making it easier to say no to functions she doesn't have time for.

PUTTING THE TIPS TO THE TEST
The best tip: "I thought taking ten minutes in the morning to reflect would make me more stressed, because it was one more thing to squeeze in. But the opposite is true. I sit on a yoga mat in my office and stretch and breathe deeply, and then organize my desk before jumping on the computer. I feel less cluttered, and ready to face the day. Ruth's paperwork plan was great too. It was the jump-start I needed to get organized. The first day of my makeover, I sorted through piles of paperwork and created a filing system. Keeping up with mail became easier and less time-consuming."

Post-makeover progress: "While I couldn't follow her exact advice, Ruth's e-mail recommendations did prompt me to rethink the way I make myself available to others. I now turn off my instant-messaging program for hours at a time and cut way back on business e-mail in the evening, so I have more time to spend reading and relaxing with my kids before bed."

The Work-Rules-My-World Woman
Debbie Veney Robinson, 38
Washington, D.C.
Vice president of communications for an education nonprofit
Married mother of 11-year-old daughter

TIME-CRUNCHED SCHEDULE
"My job keeps me ridiculously busy. I travel 40 percent of the week and have an average of seven meetings and 50 new e-mails a day. My home life is nearly as hectic. My daughter's involved with countless activities, like basketball, student council and choir, and I'm often the one who drives her around. I barely have time to go to the bathroom, let alone visit friends and family. When I do see them, I'm irritable and snappy because I'm so tired."

What she puts on the back burner: "I'm two years late on annual exams with my optometrist, internist, gynecologist, dentist and radiologist. I also wish I had room for nonessentials like sleeping in, reading and getting my eyebrows waxed."

TAKE-CONTROL TIPS
Productivity pro: Julie Morgenstern

1. Reprioritize.
Like many of us, Debbie puts work first, herself and her family second. She needs to reverse this approach. Each week, she should carve out blocks in her schedule for exercise, doctors' appointments and downtime, like a manicure with her daughter, dinner with her husband or reading in the bathtub. Once she's set time aside for her family and herself, then and only then should she fit work around it.

2. Say no, and mean it.
Taking on too much, at work and at home, is a big problem for Debbie. She needs to learn to refuse unreasonable requests. What to say: 3. Develop the art of selective perfectionism.
Debbie's a perfectionist, so her every task, from writing a report to cleaning the house, takes longer than it should. The 80/20 Rule can help: Only 20 percent of tasks need to be completed perfectly; 80 percent can be good enough. If she's unwilling to do something imperfectly, she should find another person, like a co-worker or her husband, who can do it faster and with less angst.

4. Structure your day.
Ward off interruptions, like impromptu meetings, by creating a work schedule. As much as possible, devote mornings to pro-active tasks such as writing reports, afternoons to meetings and e-mails. Get in the habit of telling co-workers, "I do X, Y and Z during these hours, but we can chat at three." They'll adapt.

5. Always look ahead.
Some days, following a schedule is impossible. To maintain control over the most frantic days, Debbie should take ten minutes every evening to review her calendar for the next two days. By keeping a solid grip on what she must do, she'll be able to stay focused, even if forced to switch gears during the day.

PUTTING THE TIPS TO THE TEST
The best tip: "No became my favorite word. I was amazed how much extra time I had once I said, 'Sorry, I can't do that.' A relative wanted to have a baby shower at my house, which would mean I'd have to reschedule my plans, so I said, 'That doesn't work for me.' It was so empowering!"

Post-makeover progress: "Julie's comment that I put work first was a wake-up call. So I took two Fridays off work for doctors' appointments and a spa visit, which made me feel like a new person. I realized I wanted more time with my husband, so I booked a trip to Prague for the two of us. I also came to the conclusion that my peace of mind is more important than perfection. So I don't freak out if my husband leaves a pile of laundry on the bed, or if my daughter isn't ready for school on time, because getting upset isn't worth the energy. I didn't expect the makeover to have such an impact, but I can honestly say that I'm a calmer, more balanced Debbie these days."
Comments :
By momdeb2, 05/21/2008, 12:36 PM EDT

Wow! I thought we were crunched for time.

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