“It is better to strike a straight blow with a crooked stick than spend my whole life trying to straighten the darn thing out.”

—Ken Blanchard

Now hear this! Never say “yes” without considering the time investment you are committing. Having the courage to say “no” to requests that are inappropriate or unnecessary could be your most effective time management tool!

Take the time to understand the role of every department in your organization. This time invested up front will eliminate your “panic” when someone has an urgent request outside your department.

“Perfection paralysis” is expensive. Sometimes it is not worth the effort to make things “perfect.” Take a look at time costs involved and weigh these against the benefit of perfection. Many times second best in operation is better than first best on the drawing board.

Copy the world every time you send a memo? But, realistically, does “the world” really care? When writing a memo or sending an e-mail, only distribute to the people who really need to know the information. Some of “the world” feels obligated to respond and then everyone’s time is wasted.

Want to get your written point across — fast? Limit your sentences to fifteen words.

Are you really listening! Every time you say, “But I thought you said,” you might as well be saying, “I wasted all this time doing the wrong thing.” Listen, clarify, and make sure you understand the task before going forward. It is a good time investment for both parties.

Is it your job to pick up every ball that someone drops? Avoid this label at all costs! Think about it!

Don’t try to solve other people’s problems. You may be empathetic to their situation, but if you spend your time solving their problems, Surprise! Their next problem will become yours, too! The best thing you can do is help others learn how to solve their own problems.