Get The Perfect Workday.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)(IBD'S 10 SECRETS TO SUCCESS)

Byline: Adelia Cellini Linecker

7 Many of us grumble about not having enough time in a day. But why do some folks seem to have it all under control while others always run late? Don't we all have the same 24 hours to negotiate?

The workplace is often where most people have to deal with time crunches. K.J. McCorry, author of "Organize Your Work Day . . . In No Time," says one of the key aspects to achieving your goals on a day-to-day basis is to create a vision for your perfect day.

** List aspects of your ideal workday. McCorry says you should think about what would you accomplish during your perfect day. How many hours would you work? How many uninterrupted hours would you need? How much time would you spend on the phone and answering e-mail?

** Compare your ideal to reality. For a week or so, track your activities and how much time you spend doing each task. Compare your findings with your ideal schedule.

Determine "which functions have the greatest disparity between the actual and optimal times," McCorry wrote. "These jobs are clearly the areas in your job that require time allocation changes."

** Identify challenges. Figure out why you're spending more time than you want to on certain tasks. Are there interruptions you can avoid? Are colleagues constantly stopping by your desk to talk? Are you checking e-mail too often? Are you over-scheduling?