How To Leave Work On Time

It's Friday, you've had a busy week and you really don't want to be leaving late today. Here are a few tips to get you out of the office and finishing work on time or even early.

• Start by giving your work colleagues and your boss a heads-up that you need to leave early to reduce the risk of last minute questions or urgent work requests.

• Plan your day - make a list of the tasks you absolutely must get done today. Allocate time slots in the day when you're going to do them.

• Prioritise your list - what's important, what could wait until Monday? Can anyone else help or do the task for you? Be realistic about how much you can complete in the time available.

• Work backwards from the time you need to leave. Manage your time and plan the tasks on your to-do list accordingly.

• Stay focused - avoid any distractions or interruptions that stop you from getting on with your tasks or delay you e.g. lingering for a chat by the coffee machine, interruptions from colleagues etc. Work in short bursts - you'll stay focused and be more productive.

• If you can't avoid Friday meetings altogether, avoid last minute or late meetings. Keep them to the morning. If they run over you'll be under even more pressure to complete any follow ups or actions before you need to leave along with your now delayed tasks.

• Make phone calls or send emails that need a response in the morning to allow time for them to reply and for you to action. Remember to add this requirement in any requests.

• Stop work at least 10-15 minutes before 4pm to give you time to clear your desk, file any paperwork, shut down your computer.

• Book an important personal appointment that means you absolutely must leave on time. You're less likely to start 'just one more thing'.

Set the intention of leaving on time and treat the end of the working day as a 'deadline' not a movable timeline where you just keep working until you've finished.

Creating a definite end-time will help you stay focused.

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More Ways To Control Your To-Do List

Your to-do list can quickly become overwhelming.

Here are a few more ways to help you keep control of your list.

Apply the 80/20 rule. You’ll get 80% of your results from 20% of your activity. Remember this when prioritising your list. How will this task contribute to your end goal?

Use an App - there are a number of apps out there which help you keep control of your to-do list (free and paid). Wunderlist, ToDoist, Any.Do.  Many apps integrate with your calendar, sync across multiple devices or have plug-ins for email and your browser, making it easier to add, update and keep track of tasks. Find an app you like and stick with it. Allow time to get used to it and make it work the way you want.

Keep it simple. Some apps are great, some are more complex or do some of what you want but not everything. Decide what you want first then find the app or method that works best.

Use pen and paper. There’s nothing wrong with old style list making. It’s far more organic and satisfying to have the touch and feel of pen on paper, flicking through pages, crossing off tasks, creating templates than typing things in on a screen.

Bullet-journalling. Start with a blank notebook and tailor it to the way you work - following a few basic guidelines. Add as much or as little as you need, include personal goals, checklists, track progress, see your year/month at a glance. It’s a more flexible and organic option to a daily dairy or organiser.

For repeating tasks - add them to your calendar, phone, app as a reminder that pops up a few days in advance - paying bills, updating your accounts etc. Block out the time in your dairy.

Delegate - you may not have time to do everything on your list but someone else might. They can help you out, have more time available than you, be more skilled at getting it done. It’s not part of your role or responsibility.

Manage the flow. If you’ve got more coming in than you can physically or mentally manage in a day, look at how you can reduce the flow in and increase the flow out.

Reduce what comes in:

• Push back
• Say ‘no’ more often
• Unsubscribe

Increase the flow out:

• Work on the Important before it becomes Urgent
• Set time limits
• Delegate - what tasks can/should someone else do?
• Increase resources

Automate - the right systems and processes can streamline communications, keep you on track and make your life easier overall. Especially when it saves you time with repetitive tasks or prevents re-inventing the wheel each time.

Overwhelmed by your to-do list? Get in touch and let's talk through a few options to bring order to your list.

See also:

How to Make Sense of Your To Do List

How To Make Sense of Your To-do List

You’ve got 50+ things on your to-do list. You’re feeling totally overwhelmed and don’t know where to start or how on earth you’re getting to get them all done.

You think you’re too busy to write a list, it’s a waste of time, you’d rather just get on with it, you could spend all your day planning instead of 'doing'.

However, it’s been proven that if you spend time getting to grips with your to-do list and planning your day, you’ll save yourself hours of wasted time and stress and have a more productive day.

Here’s how to make sense of your list, take control and feel less overwhelmed.

Start by writing everything down or at least gathering everything together in one place, especially if your tasks are scattered across multiple lists.

Admit you're not going to get all 50+ things completed today!

Break larger projects down into actionable tasks. What the first, smallest actionable step you need to take?

This next step takes a bit of time the first time. But the more often you do it and the more it becomes a habit, the quicker you become.

Go through each task:

• What is the priority for this task - this will relate to the date needed - overdue, urgent, important … A simple 1, 2, 3; A, B, C; red, orange yellow (if you want to use colours), is enough to start prioritising your tasks.

• When is it needed by? Today, tomorrow, this week, this month …? Don’t clutter up your list with tasks that don’t need to be completed until a later date. Add them to a future list or put them on your calendar so they pop up when needed.

• Group similar tasks together - whether by type of task - phone calls, emails or by project or client. It’s quicker and more efficient to do similar tasks - make a few phone calls at the same time. Include information you need to complete the task - particularly phone numbers, links etc. One less thing you need to think about for the task.

• Separate your tasks into categories - work, personal, chores. If it’s helpful use ‘project’ or ‘client’ categories so you get a better perspective on how your tasks relate to your workflow.

• Set aside time in your day to actually complete the task - especially the high priority ones.

Keep your daily to-do list short. No more than the number of tasks you can actually achieve in a day. This could be as low as 3, ideally no more than 10. If you have too many tasks or you don’t complete them each day, reduce the number.

Review your new, shorter list throughout the day. If it’s working it will be guiding what you’re working on each day, if it’s not then you may need to rethink how you’re working or what you’re working on.

By the end of each day you will have checked off a number of tasks. Plan what you need to complete the following day.

Add new tasks as they come along and apply the same principles of prioritising, organising and scheduling in time for each task.

Purge your list regularly. The chances are some of the low priority tasks will naturally fall off the list or are no longer relevant.

Get in touch if you want to make more sense of your own to-do list.

No Shows And Missed Meetings

Now I know life gets in the way and we can't always allow for the unexpected.

It's frustrating when people take the time and effort to book, register or sign-up for sessions, seminars and workshops and just don't turn up. Whether it's free or they've paid upfront.

You're left wondering what happened. How long to wait before you give up or go and do something else.

What is it? Disorganisation, poor planning or over commitment?

What would make you miss an appointment, you've committed to, whether it was intentional or not?

When you make arrangements to meet someone or be somewhere - other people have made time in their day for you.

If you need to change your plans, let them know at the first and earliest opportunity. People will understand, sometimes it's unavoidable or you have a genuine reason for not showing up or missing a meeting.

Be honest. Respect their time so they can make other arrangements, change bookings, make adjustments or have time to do something else.

There's no excuse for not turning up and not letting someone know?

Do you find you're always saying yes to things and then for whatever reason you're not able to attend or have to let people down at the last minute? Or perhaps you simply forget because it's not written down or you just have too much on. It happens.

Be more realistic with your time. Plan ahead. Don't say "yes" or agree to a meeting when what you actually mean is "probably not". Better to make a tentative arrangement and confirm nearer the time than over commit or double book.

Don't get a reputation for being dis-organised or unreliable.

Yeah! It's Blue Monday

Despite today being labelled as Blue Monday, there's no reason to be feeling down on this or any other day.

The sun is shining, the sky is blue. A lovely change from the rain and wind over the last few weeks.

After a flurry of snow at the weekend, the day's are getting longer and we're slowly but surely heading into Spring.

Even if you're counting the cost of Christmas, if you're overdrawn and running up debts on your credit cards or find you're struggling to make ends meet at this time of the year, make a decision to manage your money better.

If you're feeling the effects of over indulgence, make a commitment to improve your health - get active, eat a healthier diet and look after yourself this year.

If you've already fallen off the 'New Year Resolution' or Dry January bandwagon - don't give up, get back on track and keep going.

I've managed to commit to (and achieved) a daily yoga practice and completed the 7 Day Juice and Soup Challenge. I find it helps having the motivation of not only shifting a few of those Christmas pounds but seeing a tick every day of the year so far on my daily yoga schedule!

You can expect a few slip-ups along the way but that doesn't mean you've failed. Think about the reasons you want to change and commit to taking one or two steps to making those changes. Success breeds success.

If you try and do too much all at once or beat yourself up too often - you're more likely to give up completely. Change your habits one day at a time and celebrate your small achievements along the way.

Patience and persistence, focus and commitment will get you there.

If you want to make real and lasting changes - change your habits one day at a time with the 91 Day Challenge or if that's too much of a stretch - ask me about the 31 Day version.

Find your potential in 2016.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Start Your Day With A Morning Routine

Whether it's a daily ritual of your morning tea or coffee, reading the papers, meditation or a morning run, how you start your day is important.

A good morning routine will help you to be more organised, more productive and more focused for the rest of the day.

Here are a few ideas to get you off to a good start.

Start with a good night's sleep.  Few of us are able to burn the candle at both ends or survive on only a few hours sleep, without it coming back to bite us at some stage - physically, mentally or emotionally.

• Lay out your clothes ready for the morning - shirt ironed, shoes polished.

• Put your exercise kit out - you'll have less excuse if it's out, ready for when you wake up.

• Make breakfast the night before.  Bircher muesli can be prepared in advance.  If you want a really healthy start - try a green smoothie!

• Make lunch - take the time to prepare a healthy lunch and you'll be less tempted to snack or grab a sandwich at lunch time.

Get up early.   Many successful CEOs and business owners are up at 5.00am to get a head start on the day.  I often talk to people who don't have time to exercise, don't have time to read, don't have time for breakfast?

Set the alarm half an hour or an hour earlier, when it's quieter and there's less disturbance ... use the extra time for yourself - NOT to check your work email!  Leave that until later in the day.

Plan your day.  Either the night before or first thing in the morning.  What do you need to get done, what's important for a successful, productive day?

You can't do everything, prioritise what's important and delegate as much as you can.

Use your plan to guide your day, don't react or get distracted by less urgent tasks (especially email).

Get your exercise in early - if you struggle to find time to exercise during the day, if you're 'too tired' at the end of the day - start early.

Do stretching, yoga or pilates to get your body gently moving.  Go out for a short run or a brisk walk, before you shower and have breakfast.

A place for everything.  Avoid last minute panics as you leave the house - put your car keys, house keys, mobile phone, charger etc.  in the same place, so you're not searching around for them in the morning.

Change one or two things at a time to build your own successful morning routine.  If you need more ideas or want to find a routine that works for you get in touch.

Make your voicemail messages more meaningful

How to make your messages more meaningful and improve communication.

When you make a call and get voicemail - don't just leave a garbled message as you rapidly try to think of something to say.

Be prepared.

Speak slowly and clearly.  If you leave a number repeat it.  It's often difficult to write down a number in one go, especially if the caller rapidly rattles off their number.  Repeating it gives them a better chance of getting it right first time.

State the nature of your call - if appropriate.  What are you calling about, what information do you need?

Say when you're available or when it's a good time to call back.  People will often leave a message just as they're going out - usually as a last minute, 'oops must do this before I leave'.  When the call is returned the person isn't there and you end up playing phone-tag.

If you're going to be away from the phone or are busy - say so in your message and say when you'll be back, so they don't waste their time or yours.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

7 Ways to Create Resolutions and Habits for the Year

So how are your New Year Resolutions going?  We’re three weeks in to the year and no doubt, like many other people you’ve started the year with good intentions.

Perhaps you’re going for a dry January and giving up alcohol or you want to kick start your health by joining the gym, giving up smoking or eating more healthily or even starting a diet.  Are you always resolving to do the same thing but somehow never make it stick?

You’re certainly not alone.  Here are a few quick tips to get you back on track and make your new habits (resolutions) stick.

Take your time: New habits don’t happen overnight so be patient.  Give yourself at least 30-60 days for a new way of working or being to become a habit.

Be positive: Resolutions are really nothing more than replacing bad habits with good habits.  However, resolutions are often seen as ‘giving up’ something.  Change your perspective and turn it around to think about what you’re gaining.

Be specific: The clearer and more specific you are about what you want the more likely you are to achieve it.

Write it down: Any resolution or goal becomes more real when you write it down.  You’ve got it out of your head where it’s just a thought or idea and put it on paper.

Create a plan: Once you’ve decided what it is you want to achieve, create a plan to make it happen.  How much time is involved?  What support do you need?  How can you make your new habit part of your daily routine?

Get accountable: Tell family, friends, a colleague what you want and what you need from them.  They can help you to stay focused and on track when your resolve starts to waver.

One step at a time: Don’t bite off more than you can chew.  Start small and build on your success.

Need help with your resolutions and habits for 2015 - take a look at the 90-Day Habit Mastery or check out my latest newsletter for additional tips to creating and achieving your 'resolutions'.

Surviving the half-term holidays

It's half-term week and parents are busy juggling work and home life.

Not only does this create a challenge for business but also for families planning childcare around their busy working lives. So, how do you cope and how can you make the most of both work and holiday time.

Firstly - don't even attempt to cram a normal working week into four and three day weeks.

Secondly - stay focused and be selective. Not only are clients, customers and providers likely to take some time off but you want to spend time with the family too.

Plan WHAT needs to be done over the week and WHEN you're doing to do it.  If you're planning to have time off with the children - PLAN your work time and family time.  Just because there are fewer working hours available, doesn't mean your productivity and what you can achieve should drop in the time you spend working.

Prioritise - select the 'most important' things you need to work on. What's the minimum you need to do to keep things moving? You'd be surprised at the results you can get when you focus on the right things.

If you work from home, share childcare with friends and family and return the favour when they need a few hours or a day off.

A few focused hours is a far more effective use of your time than being distracted or trying to juggle work around family commitments and ending up feeling guilty and overwhelmed as you split yourself between work and family.

Identify the key tasks and actions you need to do over the week and fit them into the time available.

Set time limits on tasks, so you'll get things done quicker and be less distracted if you only have a limited amount of time.  You could get a lot done in one or two hours a day, leaving the rest of the day clear for family time.

TIP: Use a kitchen timer if you want to be REALLY focused.

Enjoy quality time with the family and a break for yourself.

Some "slow children at play" signs just say "Slow" (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is your to-do list full of projects?

Many people add tasks to their daily and weekly to-do lists which are actually a major project in themselves.

This is one of the reasons those particular items often get left.  They're just to big to manage in one go.

• Are you having difficulty prioritising what's on your list?
• Is it difficult to work out what's important?
• Are you putting off larger tasks because you don't have time or you're reluctant to do them?

Think about all the tasks on your to-do list.  Are they actually projects or large tasks that will in reality take longer than two hours?

Break larger tasks down into smaller, shorter steps that you can achieve in less than two hours.

Be realistic about what you can get done in a day.  Only write down as many tasks as you can actually complete in the time available.

You have your day to day work, so there's no point in allocating an additional 8 hours of tasks.  It just won't happen.  In all likelihood you won't get more than 3-5 done.

Allocate time in your schedule to complete these tasks.

If you do have a large project to complete - how important is it in the grand scheme of things, what's the benefit to spending time on it?

Set aside time on a daily or weekly basis to work on this project.  Having a regular time slot for a particular project enables you to make steady progress, without having to find a large chunk of time to do it all at once.

Review your list and break those larger tasks down into more manageable, realistic actions.

African Bush Elephant (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Related Articles:

Create a to-do list that works.

The More Time You Have, The Less You Do

There are many reasons why we procrastinate and it's not always due to fear, laziness or having too much time.

Some people work better when there's the pressure of a deadline to meet - even though meeting that deadline puts them under enormous stress and they end up working long hours to meet it.

If only they'd planned better, they could have avoided the stress and long working hours ... or could they? Change your mindset, set interim deadlines to avoid the last minute rush.

Problem: Trying to do too much all in one go can seem overwhelming and another reason to put things off.

Solution: Break a task up in to more manageable chunks - at least you can be one, two or more steps ahead as the deadline looms.

Problem: Lack of knowledge or skills can be another reason to put things off - you're not sure where to start, so leave it for another day or when you have more time to think about it or deal with it.

Solution: Let someone else do it who has the knowledge and skills or add these to your training and development plan.

Simply having too much to do - so your decision making process is the one with the closest deadline gets done NOW!

Problem: Perfectionism can be another reason to procrastinate and one I hear quite often. You either spend more time on a task than you should, because you're always aiming for 110% or you don't start/finish a task because you want it done perfectly first time and don't want to start unless you can finish it.

Solution: Think 80/20.  Your idea of perfect may not be the same as someone else's.  What's 'good enough'?  Get the job done without spending too much time trying to achieve 100%.

Think about the tasks you put off and look at what causes you to leave things to the last minute. This can help you to discover and address the underlying reasons.

Need help?  Get in touch and book a chat to address your procrastination problems.

Image courtesy of [Stuart Miles] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

And now it's Wimbledon

I might not have been glued to the World Cup but now Wimbledon is on - I have something to watch.

There's potentially more of an impact to office productivity, because the games are on during the working day.

Here's how I organise my time when I can, so that I can watch a few my favourite players.

• Schedule my lunch break to catch up on the closing stages of a match.  The early ones will just be finishing and the later ones just starting.

• Take frequent breaks.  This is something you should be doing anyway - you'll actually be more productive if you do - now you have an excuse.  See who's playing, who's still in, who's out.

• Deal with emails or social media while watching a particularly good game.  These are potentially good tasks for multi-tasking, as they don't necessarily require focused concentration.  You can quickly clear and sort your email - flagging those that need more time or a measured response for later.

• Be selective - I don't need to watch ALL the games to get involved and enjoy Wimbledon.  I rarely watch the women's games - too much grunting and shrieking just puts me off.

• If a game is particularly gripping and I decide to spend longer watching it - I start earlier or finish a little later, spreading the working hours across the day rather than just between 9-5.

• If I'm away from the home office for the day, there's always the daily evening updates to catch up on the highlights of the day and of course social media will keep you posted on events as they happen.  Be selective and be aware of 

OK, so I have the luxury of working from home and can be more flexible with my working day.

What about you?  Do you manage to watch the sporting events you enjoy while ensuring work gets done and you stay productive, or do you record or watch the highlights?

And next week we have the start of the Tour de France!

English: Wimbledon Championships (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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• #OverheardatWimbledon - all the wit and wisdom from SW19

How To Double Your Hours

You’re workload is limited by the amount of hours you have available.

If you could increase the number of hours,  you could increase your productivity.  One hour of your effort achieves one hour of results.

Delegate a task and one hour of effort can achieve several hours of results.

• You have your own skills and abilities, other people have theirs, make effective use of both.  Stick to what you’re good at and let other people do what they’re good at.
• If you’re working long hours and have taken on too much this could be a sign that you need to delegate.
• If you’ve exhausted your resources dealing with a particular problem – ask for help.
• If you’re a perfectionist – ask for help before it’s too late and you get stressed out, overwhelmed trying to create a ‘perfect’ solution.

We tend to just get on and do things - keep ourselves busy, moving forward, juggling work, life, children, partners, friends and family.  Here in the UK, we’re much more likely to soldier bravely on and not admit that we could actually do with a helping hand.

You won’t be able to delegate everything.  There are always going to be certain tasks you need to keep control of or that only you can do.

You might be quite happy to let someone else help you out and do some of you work or you might have trouble letting go of parts of your workload.  Some people find it easier to delegate than others.

Delegate the right tasks, at the right time to the right people.

Image courtesy of [Salvatore Vuono] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The simplicity of pen and paper

There are any number of apps available that promise to organise your to-do list, capture notes, help you to be more productive, plan your day ...

While technology is great, it can tie us down or even make us less productive, as you spend time attempting to get the latest app to sync with the rest of your system or several minutes updating the app(s) with your progress.

Sometimes the simplest things are still the best - such as pen and paper.

Pen and paper also has the advantage that you're engaging different parts of your brain when you write something down.

It also has the advantage that if technology fails, pen and paper will always be there.  It won't run out of battery and you don't have to worry about whether you can get a signal or not.

Carry a note book with you to jot down notes, brainstorm ideas, create lists for your tasks.

Pen and Paper (Photo credit: Guudmorning!)

Related articles

• Planning Made Simple

The importance of planning ahead.

You're working on an important report or piece of research and then you discover that the one person critical to you being able to complete the work is away on holiday and won't be back until after it's due.

It's not their fault - it's due to lack of planning ahead on your behalf.

Other people don't know your timetable unless you share it with them and communicate what it is you need and by when.  They can then plan their time accordingly or at least you've set expectations.

With holidays, half-terms and long weekends constantly adding to the planning mix - you need to be aware of the impact of other people's timetables on your scheduling and completion of tasks.

Give them enough notice.  Let them know what you need and when.  Don't communicate this two days before you need it!

Follow-up - are they on track?  Will you get the information you need when expected?  While it might not entirely be your fault - some team members may not be that good at planning themselves and over commit or just simply forget, if you follow-up in a timely way it will act as a reminder.

Get the important stuff done first - not all tasks relating to a project are equal.  If you have a looming deadline, what's the really important stuff that needs to be done.  Don't waste time on unimportant tasks.

Get them in order - some tasks need to be completed before others can start or continue.  Don't get caught out by starting work on a task and then realising there are additional tasks that need to be completed first.

Planning Ahead (Photo credit: Chiot's Run)

But I already know this stuff ...

Of course you do.  It's all pretty obvious but for one reason or another:

- you're too busy,
- you feel out of control,
- you're not sure where to start,
- you're just so overwhelmed,
- you need to get organised first,
- you'll do it later ...

Whatever the reason ... you just don't quite get round to doing whatever it is that you really need to do.

I've just been speaking to another client who's been able to gain clarity and focus just by talking things through.

They already knew what they needed to do but hadn't actually got to the point of writing them down and committing to take action.  Everything we discussed they'd already thought about but weren't actually doing anything more, other than feel stressed and overwhelmed.

What they need is a plan of action, motivation and accountability.

So:

• Write it all down - what have you got to do?
• Take action - when are you going to do it, how long will it take?
• What motivation do you need to help you be successful?
• Who or what will hold you accountable?

Get in touch to create your own plan of action and to create accountability.

"Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net"

Forward planning for Christmas

Now's the time to plan for Christmas.

Yes really!  Get a head start and get out to the sales - stock up on wrapping paper, Christmas cards and decorations that are now going for a song.

Plan your present lists for family and friends - buy them in the sales - either now or as you go through the year, so you avoid that last minute dash for presents or having to deal with the crush of the crowds in December.

Start saving now - Christmas is one of the most expensive times of the year and if you've maxed out your credit cards to pay for it then setting aside a regular amount each month makes more sense and can avoid you getting into debt.  Open a savings account, put aside £50 a month and by December you'll have £600 towards Christmas.

Do the same for a holiday fund - save up a set amount each and every month into your savings account and by the time you book your holiday you'll already have a pot of money towards it.

Think about what worked and what didn't over the holiday period.  How much did you overspend by?  How much food and drink was wasted?  Yes it's great to over indulge once in a while and enjoy those seasonal treats but not if it ends up in unnecessary waste.  Make a note of what you could change next time around.

Christmas should be about being with friends and family and not about the material things in life.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Staying on track after a Bank Holiday

It's often difficult to get back into the swing of things after a holiday or a long Bank Holiday weekend.

A Bank Holiday Monday seems like a Sunday.
Tuesday back at work feels like a Monday.
Your normal weekly routine feels out of sync by a day.

To avoid this having an impact on your meetings and appointments in the week:

• Check out your diary the week before, so you know where you need to be and what you're doing on your first day back at work.
• Don't overload your first day back.
• Move appointments, if you need to, so you have space and time to catch up after a few days break.
• Refresh your memory by checking your calendar the night before.  Frequent review, reinforces it in your own mind.
• Double check again the first morning and set reminders if you're likely to be in 'Monday' mode so that you don't miss an important meeting or call.
• Scan through your emails quickly to make sure you don't miss anything important.  Either deal with them there and then - if they only require a couple of minutes, or flag them to work on later.

Remember you only have a four day work week, so don't try to cram too much in - you'll just lose the benefit of that day off ... if indeed you had a day off and didn't end up working.

Related articles

• Your countdown to a stress-free holiday 
• Get to your meetings on time

Monday, Monday... (Photo credit: practicalowl)

Planning Made Simple

Planning is one of the simple things you can do that will have a BIG impact on how much you achieve each day and how productive you are.

It's as simple as 1, 2, 3 and takes only a few minutes a day (once you get in to the habit).

1.  List out everything you have to do - this is the scary part as you'll quickly realise you have too much on your plate and not enough time to get it ALL done.  As you list them out - estimate how long you think each one will take.

2.  Prioritise those tasks - what's important, what's urgent.  What do you absolutely have to do, what do you need to do, what are the 'do them if I have time'?  Use numbers, letters, colours if this helps you to prioritise.

3.   Schedule the tasks in.  This is the difficult part as you'll now see that in an average working day, the tasks and timings on your list are probably more than your working hours.  (Schedule in your planning time to help it become a habit).

So start planning and see how much of a difference it makes.

Get in touch if you'd like to find out how to make simple planning work for you.