Harvard Business Review 20-Minute Manager Ultimate Boxed Set (16 Books)

Keep Yourself on Track

Good time management is based on preparation. Once you establish goals, set priorities, and develop a plan, it will be easier to stick with it. But, as you can probably guess, even if you invest time in preparing, it won’t always be easy. It doesn’t matter if you’re extremely organized and self-disciplined; you’re going to find yourself in trouble from time to time. There will be roadblocks along the way, and you may fall back into bad habits.

Common weak spots and challenges that cause us to deviate from our well-intentioned plans include deadlines, a proclivity for procrastination, and interruptions—including email and meetings. Manage each of these well and you’ll be on your way to staying on track.

Manage your deadlines ...