A Templeton Finn Coaching Article:

TIME MANAGEMENT - THE SECOND KILLER HABIT!

This habit is not setting aside specific times for the long stuff

This habit is based on an optimistic (delusional) idea that a three hour gap will miraculously appear in your day, in which the completion of a long (and possibly unpleasant) task may be seamlessly inserted.

Despite years of experience to the contrary, we still confidently come into work each morning muttering "I'll draft that agreement today. Oh Yes, it won't take long..."

However, amazingly, that gap doesn't just appear in your day...

You might as well accept it now. The time will not appear! You need to set aside a couple of hours, divert calls, turn off that ridiculous pinging email alert and shut the door if you have one. It is harder in open plan offices although some people use earplugs. One person taped a sign onto his computer which read "Warning Man at Work" and this seemed to keep people away (in conjunction with a reputation for occasional fits of extreme ill humour).

If you get the task in your diary as if it was a meeting, and stop doing the quick things first, you'll get the job done and feel so much better afterwards!

For the other habits that ruin your day, see our articles Time Management - avoid this killer habit that destroys your day and Time management - avoiding the most dangerous habit of all