5 Make and follow a list of priorities

You don't have to be a master list-maker to profit from using priority lists. Some people maintain several lists at once: a high-priority one of urgent or very important tasks; a medium-priority one of less urgent or moderately important tasks; and a low-priority one of tasks it would be nice to do if and when there's time. Other people simplify the process by making just one list at the end of each day of things to do tomorrow.

One chief executive we know says he has a promise to himself to attend to the top three items on his list every day, come what may. "It's better to get just those three most important things done each day," he says, "than to carry around a long list and only do a few of the less important things."