Time Management or "How a little egg timer can save you!"

Have you ever found yourself wondering how in the world you are going to get everything done? If you're like most people, the stress of feeling like there is too much on your plate is an all too familiar feeling.

Of course there are the obligatory "to dos" such as work deadlines, fulfulling requests from your clients, getting the kids to the doctor or the cat to the vet on time. But what about all the other projects you have floating around in your brain? For example, that e-book you've been wanting to write or the new seminar you want to create, or the mini-web sites you've considered building, or just taking the time for that new workout class that you know you really should take...When do these things get done?

If it's true that we attract what we need, then it's interesting to note that two of my friends happen to be time management and organizational wizards. I marvel at them all the time. The truth is, I'm pretty good at staying organized, but compared to these two there is much more to learn.

One friend is Ruth Klein, author of Time Management Secrets for Working Women, and the other is Dr. Jan Yager, author of Work Less, Do More. Both of these women have unique, creative and easy techniques for managing your time, your work, and your fun load much better.

As I read their books, I realized that I have a time saving technique that I use on a regular basis that has really made a difference for me. I call it the Egg Timer Technique. This is especially useful for jobs that one procrastinates doing because you either hate doing it (cleaning the house, doing the taxes, etc.) or it seems overwhelming (getting started on that thesis, writing the next great American novel, or developing a business plan for a new venture).

Let's use cleaning the house as an example of something one may not feel like doing (That's a pretty likely possibility for me.) I take the egg timer into the family room, for example, and set it for :30 minutes. For that amount of time, I am going to get as much done in this room as I possibly can and I promise myself that when the bell goes off, I will stop immediately and completely. It's important to keep this promise to yourself so that your inner child or your unconscious, or whatever it is that pays attention to what you say, will believe you.

What happens during this process is amazing. Before you know it, you will begin racing against the clock to get as much done as you possibly can within that :30 minute period. With only 6 minutes remaining, you may realize you have to vaccuum so you run to get the vaccuum cleaner and quickly run it over the carpet. I told you it's amazing. It really is. I never imagined myself running to vaccuum, but it works! It's the Egg Timer Technique.

What techniques have you found help you to get things done? How do you motivate yourself to get started on writing that book proposal, or developing that publicity plan, or cleaning out the garage?