I've been doing a bit of one-on-one work with a local client that is having the same basic struggles nearly all professionals are dealing with now:  too much "crisis-du-jour" management, too much distraction on e-mail and other inputs, not enough time on key, high-priority projects, and not enough time building and developing his people.  I wrote up this little guide to help him get out on the right track at the start of the week and the start of every day, with the goal of finding more time for key actions, activities and his people, and also reducing distraction from e-mail and other inputs.  I thought you might like it too! 

Weekly: Review your key goals and projects list. Make sure that each individual key project or goal has at least one action item in either your task list and/or calendar.  Goal time:  10-15 minutes MAX!  (Of course, you have to have your Goals, Projects, and Sub-projects already written out in some form of a note or document so they are EASY to review each and every week!  I'm SHOCKED how few people have actually done this!) 

Now, Every Morning: BEFORE checking e-mail and other inputs, review calendar for next 1-2 weeks. Strategically block some time for key projects and activities. Also, add items into task list needed for upcoming events on your calendar.

Then, review today's calendar -- how much time is blocked? How much time is open? Then, review today's task list vs. the time you have available. Is it doable, or too much? If too much, move lower-importance and/or less urgent items to a later date. The goal is to have a task list you might actually be able to fully complete THAT DAY. Also, look at your delegations and follow-ups. Who do you need to bug today to keep things moving? Try to get these done early in the day, but don't do these until after you check e-mail and your other inputs -- that is next.

All of the above should only take about 5-10 minutes at the start of the day. If it is taking much longer, you are doing something wrong. The goal is to review your calendar and refine your task list before checking e-mail (but not actually start working on tasks!) This should be a quick process, giving you confidence of your day's goals and efforts.

Now, get into your e-mail. Quick ones handle right now. Longer ones should go on your calendar or task list (remember "drag & drop" Outlook users?) Also, go through any new voice mails, "snail" mail, text messages, faxes, etc. All of these "new input" items are handled the same as e-mail: quick ones done right away, longer ones to your task list and/or calendar. Once items are done or tasked, they are filed or deleted, and if you don't have a good place to file, MAKE ONE and put it there! This process should take about 30-45 minutes at the start of most days, and once done, your e-mail and other inputs will be integrated into your task list and calendar (and your inbox should be close to ZERO!) 

By going through your e-mail and other inputs, and turning many of those items into tasks, you've likely made your task list too big again for today. Once again, refine it down by moving lower importance/urgency items to a later date, so you have a task list you feel confident with (and not too stressed about) for today.

Now you are ready to get to work. First, do your "delegations", "bugs" and "follow ups". You want to do those right after your first pass of e-mail/inputs each day, so you can keep things moving. You want your people doing their work before you do your work!

Once you've done this, assuming you don't have a meeting, now it is time to start attacking that prioritized task list. Hit that task list again and again until it is time to check your e-mail and other inputs again. Remember, you want to check your e-mail regularly but not constantly throughout the day. You want to work your task list all throughout the day, knocking down the next most important/urgent item all day long! (Except, of course, when you have meetings!)

Tomorrow, repeat again, until the weekend.

Weekly, repeat again until the next holiday.

Yearly, repeat again until you retire! ;-)