if you break your day into blocks of about 30 minutes and have an objective for each section, you will be able to better monitor what has been done and what has not been accomplished.  It does not need to be a highly formal process but that mind is a goal seeking tool.  Give it a goal and it will find a way to achieve the goal. Set a Time Limit for Each Activity -- Parkinson's Law dictates that work expands to meet the activity that is being completed.  We can use Parkinson's Law to our advantage or to our disadvantage.  Set a time limit to complete each task that is lesser than the amount of time that you expect it would normally take to complete the task.  If you are able to do this, even if you miss, you are more likely to get the work done more quickly than if you did not set this time limit at all.  When we have specific deadlines to get work done, we have a tendency to find ways to be more productive and to be more efficient in our activities.  Use this to your advantage and do not buy into the fact that you have a lot of time to get something done.  That rarely is the case and if you get too comfortable, you will most likely be scrambling at the end. Interrupted 11 Times Per Hour -- People are interrupted at least 11 times every hour.  If you are