People who find themselves constantly buried under a mountain of work are the same ones who experience a tremendous amount of daily stress. See if you or someone you know agrees with one or more of the following statements:

• I try to accomplish too much.
• I do not delegate.
• I procrastinate.
• I allow too many interruptions.

Being constantly overwhelmed is not only counter-productive, it's unhealthy. It's also a good indication that you're ready for a shift in your mind-set. You can easily make this shift by reassessing your current responsibilities and actually reassigning the ones that you can.

By Trapper Woods- “Father Time” www.trapperwoods.com

Diffuse it! Fast!

Ever notice how a two or three minute conflict with another person can drain more energy from your system than a full days work? If you carry that emotional upset with you and then take it home day after day, you make it grow. Down goes your own productivity and down goes the productivity of those to whom you complain.

Persistent, unresolved conflict is a time-waster of the worst kind. Have the courage to fix it fast. If necessary seek help from an HR person. You will conserve both time and energy.

By Trapper Woods- “Father Time” www.trapperwoods.com

Flexicute - The New Time Management Survival Skill

Okay, so I invented a word, but I can't think of a better way to describe this skill. Events are so fluid in today's work environment that we have to change, adapt and shift our focus all day long. Flexicuting involves the ability to:

• Be as willing to leave your action list when priorities shift as you are to stick with it.
• Be able to turn on a dime in the middle of the day when an opportunity presents itself.
• Have the wisdom to modify your work style on the spot, and be willing to walk the path of another person's style to collaborate and get things done.
• Be wired 24/7/365 without letting it be a source of frustration.

Would you like to become better at flexicuting? Here's how! Recognize it as a survival skill by changing your mindset and practice flexicuting daily. It's actually quite fun.

By Trapper Woods- “Father Time” www.trapperwoods.com

You make appointments with others, but what about appointments with yourself? Check your appointment schedule for the past month. Did you make any “self” appointments and honor them like any other business commitment? Just hoping time will materialize for you to do your own stuff in between appointments with others is an ineffective alternative.

Making an appointment with yourself to accomplish a high priority task is exceptionally productive. Why not make appointments with yourself every day? Simply identify the task, set a time, screen interruptions and get the job done in a meeting with yourself.

By Trapper Woods- “Father Time” www.trapperwoods.com

It is easy to overlook certain time traps. They are patterns of using time that provide no positive return. To become aware of time traps, take a careful look at your habitual patterns. These might include such things as watching the same news over and over again on cable T.V., or attending endless meetings not requiring your input.

Other habitual patterns could include getting sidetracked by junk e-mail, performing needless tasks, drifting into preoccupation, or even encouraging needless interruptions.

Start with self-observation, then set goals that establish different patterns. Watching for time traps and establishing different patterns can help you refocus several hours of time per day on more productive activities.

By Trapper Woods- “Father Time” www.trapperwoods.com