Psychology

• Step away from your desk and bring a piece of paper and a pen or your lap top computer with you.
• Write down the main goal(s) you want to achieve and what steps you need to take to complete them. For instance, if you’re working on a presentation, write down why you’re doing the presentation at the top of the page and then write down action items like:
  • Talk with boss/client about expectations
  • Research topic
  • Write outline
  • Make PowerPoint
  • Practice speech
• Then, write down the due date and look at your calendar. Working forward from where you are now and backward from when the project is due, make notes in your calendar about when you will need to take actions like contact your client.
• Also, “soft block” out time when you will work on certain activities.For instance: Tuesday from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. design PowerPoint. The three Wednesdays before the presentation from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. run through script. Treat these time blocks like meetings and try not to schedule anything else during this time.

With this method, you will put completing your project on “autopilot.” You will be free of stress when you’re not working on the project and avoid last-minute panic because you know that you have enough time to get everything done.

About Real Life E®

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is the founder and CEO of Real Life E® a time coaching and training company that empowers individuals who feel guilty, overwhelmed and frustrated to feel peaceful, confident and accomplished. She is an expert on achieving more success with less stress. Real Life E® also increases employee productivity, satisfaction and work/life balance through coaching and training programs.

McGraw Hill published her first book The 3 Secrets to Effective Time Investment: How to Achieve More Success with Less Stress. Harvard Business Review recently published her second book How to Invest Your Time Like Money. Elizabeth contributes to blogs like Lifehacker, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and the 99U blog on productivity for creative professionals and has appeared on CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox.