Problem Solver

>>Q: I can't catch up. How can I better manage my time?

"If we had a cultural change in our perspective and would think in terms of 'priority management' instead of 'time management,' we'd already be 10 steps ahead," says Cheryl Lynn Dratler, a certified master career counselor at Resource Innovations.

The biggest problem for most people is designing a system of prioritizing and tackling tasks, and then having the commitment to follow through, she says. "One of my favorite quotes about commitment is that it raises energy to a very high level because it removes all doubt," Dratler says.

Evaluate obstacles that get in the way. "That might be an unplanned meeting, telephone interruptions or someone walking in your office to interrupt, or it might be someone else's priorities. From there you have to troubleshoot ways to get around those barriers," she says.

Some tips:

> Schedule appointments with yourself so your calendar is booked.

> Have only one project on your desk at a time.

> Have a time frame about how long the meeting will last.

> Have three to five bulleted items that serve as an agenda for face-to-face meetings.

"Another technique some people strongly advocate is not opening e-mails in the morning until you organize the day and identify priorities," she says. "This prevents getting lost responding to low-priority e-mails and related tasks without ever touching your first priority."

Check and see if priorities are getting done first, because they consume a great deal of brainpower. "When those are done, it frees up a lot of energy to complete a lot of minor tasks," Dratler says.

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