effective time management practices

the following practices help managers eliminate or reduce time-wasting behavior and allow them to be more proactive:

1. plan list of things that need to be done today.
2. plan weekly, monthly, and annually schedules of activities.
3. schedule difficult and challenging activities when you are at your highest level of energy and alertness.
4. set deadlines.
5. answer phone messages and e-mail in batches during a lull in your work schedule.
6. have place to work uninterrupted.
7. do something productive during nonproductive activities.

(source: d.a. whetten and k.s. cameron, developing management skills, 4th ed., upper saddle river, nj: prentice hall, 1998.)