“It is more than probable that the average man could, with no injury to his health, increase his efficiency fifty percent.”

- Walter Scott

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Time management is really about managing yourself. It’s about making a commitment to be more organized, maintain your focus and use your time to your best advantage. Even if there were more than 24 hours in a day, we would likely always find ways to overfill them. Maximize the use of your time by becoming more aware of how you spend your day. With a little planning, you can establish a routine, create shortcuts and use your time wisely.

Whether in your personal or professional life, here are some solid tips to maximize every hour of your day.

1. Get out of bed quickly.

The time-starved individual shuts off the alarm and dozes off a couple more times before finally getting up. He ends up oversleeping, and in doing so wastes up to 30 minutes of his morning. Even if he does get to work on time, he’s rushed and stressed upon arrival.

Avoid hitting the snooze button by moving your alarm away from beside your bed. Once you get up to shut it off, head straight for the shower and start your day. Be a time-savvy person and rise when the alarm wakes you instead of wasting time lolling about in bed. You’ll arrive at work looking refreshed and ready to tackle the day’s challenges.

2. Organize your day.

The time-challenged person dashes about wasting time, energy and biological fossil fuel. His ineffectiveness, disorganization and lack of foresight result in lost time and frazzled nerves.

Plan your day with a personal organizer — just as you would for work-related tasks. Review and update your plans as your day progresses, in case you need to move certain entries around. It might be convenient to take a half-day off work on occasion to run all your errands at once. Plan ahead and line up some appointments you’ve been putting off, like the dentist, doctor or oil change. Become a time management expert and you’ll accomplish more each day.

3. Foresee efficiency obstacles.

A person who’s always in a rush fails to take into account crucial details like driving distances and traffic delays. The result is that he often ends up off schedule.

Be realistic when you make your plans. If doing your grocery shopping takes thirty minutes, allow a little longer in case there’s a long line at the cash. If you don’t, the domino effect will throw off your subsequent plans. Be a time-conscious person who has a realistic view of how long each task requires. Allow for transit and transition time, as well as unexpected disruptions.

4. Allocate specific times for specific tasks.

The person who’s running after time procrastinates. He defers his duties, sometimes ignores them completely, and then becomes frustrated.

What you need to do is develop a routine. Let your tasks become automatic. If you know that you’ll be checking your e-mail between 9:30 and 10 a.m. each morning, you’ll get it done faster. Train yourself to be aware of time. Create a routine to achieve more with less effort.

5. Set and respect deadlines.

Be realistic about setting deadlines and aim to meet them. It’s true that any task takes the exact amount of time allotted to it. Have you ever noticed how quickly you can blitz through paperwork, delegate assignments and make decisions on the last day before your vacation? Although we tend to get a lot done when we’re under pressure, it is a lot less stressful and considerably more professional to establish and stick to an action plan.

6. Develop shortcuts.

Constantly seek new ways to do certain tasks more efficiently. Sort your laundry into two baskets (light and dark) as you undress, instead of just heading to the washing machine with one huge pile. Although this may seem a little extreme, it does serve to save time. Also, work with a list instead of wandering aimlessly in the supermarket.

7. Maximize your productivity habits.

Whether it’s in the morning, during the stretch of late afternoon or in the evening before going to bed, if you know you can accomplish a lot during a specific time in the day, then take advantage of it.

8. Combine tasks.

Why not reconnect with some friends at your place while watching the game? You could do your laundry at the same time, without anyone even noticing. When you’re commuting, catch up on your reading. Keep a “To Read” folder in your briefcase so you can spend your time wisely when you’re waiting in a restaurant or at the car dealership’s service department.

9. Visit the gym early in the day.

It can be difficult to get motivated after a long day at work. You’re tired, and fitness doesn’t sound nearly as enticing as an easy chair and a cold drink. You won’t have to push yourself if you’ve already done your weight training earlier in the day. And your leisure hours in the evening will seem longer for it.

10. Don’t take on too much.

If you have kids, teach them about responsibility by assigning them some chores around the house. Alternatively, negotiate the division of labor at home with your spouse. Trade off toilet duty for daily dishwasher detail, if that suits both of you. Doing things begrudgingly always seems to take longer.

Delegate at work and outsource at home, whenever possible. And if you don’t have the time or the energy for housekeeping chores, why not hire a cleaning crew to tidy up once a week?

11. Plan some downtime.

No matter how busy you are, give yourself permission to take a few time-outs to relax. This will enable you to function more efficiently and be more productive at work and at home. Having a power nap on a weekend afternoon can be a time waster or a great refresher, depending on its length and your attitude.

On a related note, you need to get enough sleep. Feeling rushed and chasing after time could be a symptom of being overtired. Get to bed at a decent hour, leave your worries behind and when the alarm goes off in the morning, you know what to do!

12. Cut down on social time.

When your social life is taking up too much of your time, cut down on the invitations you accept. Plan to see several friends simultaneously at a group gathering instead of individually. If some of your friends are high maintenance and sap your energy, consider cutting them out of your circle completely and you’ll regain some time for the activities and people you enjoy.

13. Finish what you start.

Don’t take on another major project until you finish the one you’ve started. You don’t want to find yourself with 10 unfinished tasks, or you’ll feel you never have enough time to accomplish anything.

Regain control over how you use your time. Stop running after time and you’ll feel less stressed and more energized. You’ll get everything done, with time to spare.