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Keep a running list of your activities, and note any changes in priorities. Having a written reminder of what’s on tap for the day makes it easier to determine what you should be working on at any given time. It also shows what can be delegated to others, postponed for a later time, or even dropped.

Seeing something in front of you puts it into a different realm than simply a thought– it becomes a concrete issue to deal with. It also gets into the priority line-up.

Without doing this, there isn’t an efficient way to organize tasks. Things are often tackled in an arbitrary fashion, without considering what’s most critical. And many of us tend to put off the difficult or unpleasant activities for a later time, without thoroughly considering the ramifications.

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By having a life plan, you can prepare goals and strategies for spending your time in the most effective ways. Think big – consider what you want to do with your life, and what is important to achieve. Determine who are the important people and relationships. Then commit these goals to paper or your computer. Prepare a one page overview of your life, with a break-down of the particular segments.

This is a simple way to chart a clear direction. Writing your goals in specific, positive terms will reinforce those goals and make them easier for your mind to process. Be as detailed as practical, using as many senses as you can to experience the situation. Visualization is particularly important.

Make certain that each of your goals is in sync with the others, so that there aren’t any conflicts. Assign an amount of time for each. Be flexible and realistic. As activities are completed and goals are met, your particular tasks might require modification in order to remain on track.

Having your plan written down makes it more likely that none of the significant aspects of it will be forgotten or overlooked. Creating daily, weekly, or monthly lists of the most critical activities helps to focus attention on the important tasks and prioritize them, so they get done. Determine what is critical, what can wait, and what can be delegated. Begin with the end in mind, and adjust whenever necessary.

Always make time for yourself. This includes time to review or re-evaluate your overall plan. Additionally, you need ‘down time’ each day to relax and recover from daily activities. Without this, we feel overwhelmed and stressed – and unable to function effectively.

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Studies have shown that multi-tasking is not an effective or efficient way to save time. It’s better to concentrate on one activity and work on that until it is completed. By trying to do too many things simultaneously, you can’t adequately focus on any of them.

The fast pace of modern life makes multi-tasking an attractive option. It’s easy to be on the computer while speaking on the phone, preparing a document, paying some bills – you get the idea. We all have lots to do and the temptation to maximize our time by combining tasks is strong. But that’s not the optimum way to do it.

By focusing on the most important task and finishing whatever needs to be done before moving on, your mind can concentrate on doing a good job for that particular activity. It can be tackled, completed, and you’re then free to move to the next, devoting your attention to the work at hand. An added bonus is the quality of whatever you’re doing should be better with full attention to it.

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I was just thinking about Rosalyn’s article “Choosing the Right Tools” when I found my old Palm. During the last five years it was my personal assistant, with its calendar, its contact list and the capability to take notes and vocal memos. It was even able to connect to my phone and my Tomtom via Bluetooth. It was carried in in my pocket everywhere — all the time!

But since last year it sits in the cradle, perpetually charging the battery, coming out only for navigating my vacation trips. Why? Because progress has changed the way I work. Now I can connect directly to my clients’ pc without moving from the office. I can talk to them while looking at them from my desk. And on those rare occasions when I’m out of office, I can manage my calendar simply by connecting to the Internet (all my clients have an adsl Internet connection).

So, the lesson is: Choose and use the right products at the right time. Tools that were previously great can be replaced by others as technological progress makes them available.

Don’t stop what you’re used to doing — always search for improvements, and you’re sure to find them.