It sometimes feels as though there just aren't enough hours in the day. There are plenty of books about time management, and they all have good advice. But who has time to read them?

Okay, just kidding. I've read a few. All of the advice I've read follows a few general principles:

• It's not actually "time" that you're managing. While time itself is infinite, there are only 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, .... What you are actually managing is the tasks that you choose to do during a given increment of time (hour, day, week, month, year, career, lifetime).
• Increase your use of the word "no." If it feels as though you don't have enough time for all of your commitments, maybe you don't. One of my friends told me once that she had cut back on her commitments after her therapist asked her how many hours she would need to work each week in order to fulfill her obligations, and she came up with a number over 100. Imagine trying to work over 100 hours per week! Of course that's not healthy. But sometimes we say yes to something because it seems like a good idea, without taking into account that we don't have any time to spare for more activities.
• Prioritize important work. This sounds deceptively simple, but of course it can be nuanced. When there are a dozen things you are supposed to do, how do you decide which is most important right now? One measure is how closely each task aligns with what you value. Another is how well the tasks align with what you are rewarded for doing. Prioritizing important work, for me, requires taking a step back to think about what is most important and why.
• Schedule it. If it's going to take time to accomplish an important task -- planning a one-day workshop for other faculty, for example -- schedule that time in your planner. Block it out, and don't let other tasks push it aside.
• Create an environment conducive to getting things done. This means minimizing distractions. Turn off automatic email notifications, close your office door (or retreat to a different location), let phone calls go to voice mail. Take breaks when you need them, not when someone interrupts you while you are being productive.

Here are a couple of resources on time/task management. The first is a page of resources I compiled for early career faculty, but I think the articles are equally valid for any of us. The second is specific advice about ways to say "no," including some excellent strategies for deciding whether to say no.

• About time management: http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/earlycareer/balance/time.html
• About saying no: https://tomprof.stanford.edu/posting/1364

What are your favorite task management strategies? Do you have a favorite strategy for saying no, for choosing priorities, or for establishing a productive work environment? Do tell!