It’s March 1 and a lot of people are already feeling overwhelmed by 2017. Ask just about anyone how they’re doing, and you’ll probably hear, “I’m busy.”

It recently hit me that I was always busy and that I frequently felt like I was running on empty. I forced myself to step back, take a look at how I’m spending my day and make some changes. This special edition of TRIO focuses on three tweaks that I made in my routine that allowed me to make the most out of my day.

1. Take A Time Audit

I’m willing to bet there’s a disconnect between the amount of time you think you spend on something and where your day actually goes. A time audit helped me identify patterns where I regularly lost time. I simply started writing things down. I took a paper planner and instead of writing down things that I needed to do, I wrote down things that I actually did. The results increased my productivity and decreased my distractions. Where do you think you can save time in your day?

2. Minimize Interruptions

Speaking of distractions. My time audit helped me realize that I checked my email every time I got a notification. I would stop what I was working on, read and answer the new email, and then go back to working on my project. When I got another new email that pattern would repeat. I found that by turning off my email’s notification setting and designating specific times of the day that I checked new messages, I was able to get more work done in the same amount of time. Take a look at what interrupts your focus and find a way to minimize it. Mine was chasing email. What is yours?

3. Keep Your To-Do List Short

I used to keep a to-do list that served as my guide for the week. During really busy weeks, there were times where I got overwhelmed just trying to figure out where to start. I decided to shorten my list. I now have no more than three tasks that have to be done each day. Understanding the difference between what needs to be done and what must be done is critical to time management. Take a look at your own to-do list. Is it giving you direction or is it serving as a road block?

Are you looking for ways that can help you take back your time? Join us for the upcoming HR Matters series on Time and Talent Management for Leaders and learn how to make the most out of each minute. For additional courses that are designed to help strengthen your career visit the business section of our catalog. Call 405.377.3333 to register or for more information.

Cara Adney is the Marketing and Media Relations Coordinator at Meridian Technology Center.