Writing Goals for Time Management

Avoid Procrastination

One of the biggest time-management problems involves putting off unwanted tasks until the last minute --- or forgetting about them by placing them at the bottom of your to-do stack. Write specific goals to help you avoid procrastination. These goals may include delegating a certain percentage of the work, setting aside a specific time daily or weekly to empty your to-do box or using task lists more efficiently.

Keeping your office organized is key to managing your time effectively. Spend a day implementing your organization plan, such as creating a filing system using file folders or binders, designing a "tickler" file for projects you must address on certain dates and entering all contacts and calendar items into your paper or electronic planner. Set goals to maintain organization, including setting aside a time each day to file paperwork and turning off your phone for a short period each day to address items on your task list.

Write goals to help you prioritize work and maximize your time. Include a goal to keep your inbox or to-do box cleaned out daily or weekly. Check to determine whether each item requires action. If so, immediately do it, delegate it or defer it by setting a goal date on your task list. If not, throw it in the trash or file it immediately. Set a goal to break down your tasks into manageable pieces before beginning each project. Assign each task a priority and a deadline. When you stay organized by addressing your task list daily, you will have the ability to check off your priority project's tasks.

Many people feel quickly overwhelmed by the huge amounts of email they receive. Use your time better by writing goals to manage your emails daily. Write a goal to create a working email file system, then break the goal down into pieces, including listing the files needed and setting a time limit for each email session. Set an email goal of addressing all the emails in your inbox daily. At designated times during the day, file the emails, respond to them, assign each a priority, delete them or flag them with a date a response is required. If you need to print emails to file with certain projects, write a goal to file them on certain days each week to ensure the pile never becomes overwhelming.