Unclutter your world: the key to destressing your life comes from organization.

• Author: Campbell, Carolyn
• Position: Executive Health

Dave Crenshaw, Salt Lake author, speaker and business coach, conducted a time budgeting exercise with a CEO of a national company. "While reviewing how much time she spent in a given week, we found that she was extremely over budget in what she thought she could accomplish," says Crenshaw. "There are only 168 hours in a week, yet she said she accomplished 188 hours worth of work."

The CEO considered herself highly adept at multi-tasking. Crenshaw figured out that the "extra time" came from the fact that she was combining "doing research" with "spending time with family." "In reality, she spent very little time with her family," Crenshaw explains. He believes that the concept of multitasking is a myth. "Multitasking really means switchtasking; switching rapidly between one task and another," he says. "There is a cost with each switch, no matter how quickly it takes place. It's an economic term called switching cost and the cost is high."

Once the CEO understood that the switchtasking hurt her business and family, she committed to make changes. Her business, her family, and she are all better because of it, says Crenshaw.

To simplify your jam-packed schedule, a few suggestions can help to manage time realistically and destress a hectic life.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Focus on the Person

When you switchtask between computer assignments, you simply lose efficiency. But if you switchtask on a human being, you damage a relationship. When coworkers, friends or family members approach you, "Be present, listen carefully, and make sure everything is taken care of before moving on," advises Crenshaw.

Take Control of Technology

A cell phone ringer (even on vibrate) doesn't need to be on all the time. "You can turn off e-mail notification on your computer as well. Become master over the nagging beeps and buzzes by creating silence," says Crenshaw.

One recent client left his cell phone on all night. Crenshaw helped him commit to giving the phone (and himself) a break by turning it off at least one hour before bedtime.

Schedule It

Set regular times during the day and week to check your voicemail and email. "Let others know your schedule so they know when to expect a reply," says Crenshaw.

Also schedule times to complete tasks on your to-do list, suggests Robertson. "For example, if you schedule one task from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and another from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., it will help provide perspective on how much you can accomplish in a single day."

...