It's OK to Close Your Office Door
Article Good bosses don’t have to be accessible the entire time they are in the office, says a time management expert.

Preserve a Planning Period
Article Managers and their employees should spend an hour every day planning their work, says a time management expert.

Accomplish More by Doing Less
Article To realize their goals, leaders should create a not-to-do list, says a creativity coach.

Always Refresh Your To-Do List
Article An individual’s to-do list is only worthwhile if tasks are crossed off as often as they are added, say experts on workplace efficiency.

Turn an Unproductive Day Around
Article Managers and employees can salvage unproductive workdays with a few simple steps, says a career coach.

How to Shut Out the World and Get More Done
Article Managers can get more done by limiting distracting phone calls and emails from colleagues, says a time management guru.

Break Out of a Creative Slump
Article When leaders hit a roadblock on a creative project, they should take a break, say leading experts.

How to Successfully Manage Deadlines
Article Career development experts say the way that managers handle deadlines can make or break their professional reputation.

Why Being Boring Makes You More Productive
Article Leaders should avoid spending too much time making mundane decisions—such as what to wear or what to eat for lunch—so they can focus on decisions that really matter, according to a time management guru.

Gain Time by Volunteering
Article New research shows that spending time helping others makes people feel as if they have more time, not less, to accomplish work.

Politely Say No to Extra Work
Article Managers whose supervisors give them unmanageable workloads should learn to say no, say time management experts.

Tips for Leaders with Short Attention Spans
Article Running an organization successfully requires managers to pay attention to tasks they love as well as those they hate, says a time-management guru.

Don't Waste Time Being a Busy Manager
Article An executive coach says leaders need to stop valuing “busyness” as a positive.

Knowing When and When Not to Take a Short Break
Article Growing evidence shows that taking regular breaks from work improves productivity and creativity. But just when should you take some time to recharge?

Signs You're Wasting Time at Work
Article Managers often waste time without realizing it, says a time management expert.

Productive Tasks for a Slow Day at Work
Article They may not come very often, but slow days at the office are the perfect opportunity to take care of tasks that can better prepare you for the future, says a planning expert.

How to De-Stress When Pressed for Time
Article Whether managers have five minutes or an hour to spare during a busy workday, there are numerous tactics they can employ to relieve stress, says one time management guru.

Never Miss Another Deadline
Article Authorities on time management say it’s possible for busy managers to get all of their tasks done—on time, every time—by better structuring their workload.

Slow Down to Avoid Bad Decisions at Work
Article New research says that managers who work too fast and rush into decisions are more likely to make selfish and unethical choices.

Boredom Can Fuel Creativity
Article Some of the best solutions to work and life problems come when people take “creative pauses” to think about ideas that "no one else has stopped to think about,” says a management expert.

Always Have a Work Contingency Plan
Article The best-laid plans to complete work tasks often go awry. One time management specialist offers some contingency plans for these situations.

To Get More Done, Learn to Say 'No'
Article Sometimes time management is more about deciding what not to do than what to do, according to one leadership guru.

Ways Spring Fever Can Boost Productivity
Article The arrival of nice weather provides an opportunity to change routines and boost your productivity in unexpected ways, says one management writer.

The Benefits of Keeping a Job Journal
Article Everyone—including managers—should keep a day-to-day log of all of their activities and interactions at work, says one career expert.

Discourage Office Interruptions
Article Many managers have at least one employee who enjoys popping by their offices to discuss every aspect of his or her work. Sometimes, such visits are important, but many times they are productivity killers for both parties, writes one manager.

Training Yourself to Focus
Article New psychiatric research reveals that people can train their brain to ignore distractions—making them more focused, creative and productive at work.

Take Time to Tune Out
Article Responding to demands from workers, German automaker Volkswagen recently decided to stop email service to its BlackBerry-using employees a half-hour after their shift ends—and restore it 30 minutes before their shift starts the next day. A New York Times columnist says more organizations should encourage employees to “switch off” and “curb the twitchy reflex to check email every couple of minutes.”

What Highly Productive People Do
Article Want to be more productive and regain your focus? It’s simple. Stop multitasking, says one project management expert.

The Best Way to Start and Finish Your Day
Article One executive career coach says managers should begin their day with a plan and end it with a recap.

How to Recover Lost Time
Article Have you ever arrived on time for an office meeting that started 10 minutes late? Been stood up by someone who forgot she had a lunch meeting with you? Had a flight or train delayed? There are ways to take advantage of this “lost” time—if you’re prepared.

Multitasking Managers Make Better Decisions
Article New research suggests that managers who concentrate on one task at a time until it’s finished may be shortchanging their organizations. In certain circumstances, managers perform better when they embrace everyday interruptions—from ill-timed phone calls to colleagues popping into their offices.

How to Come Back from Vacation
Article Rushing back to work can negate the benefits of vacation. Here are some tips to help you manage the transition from beach to campus.

Office Space: The Art of Working Effectively
CURRENTS Article In this article, author and advancement professional Rob Crawford reflects on his 10-year-plus effort to manage his time and his workload more effectively and productively. The valuable lessons he has gleaned from management books as well as his own experiments offer useful advice for those looking to improve their work habits.

Managing Time and Energy: A Team Sport
Product This webinar discusses how to effectively manage time, resources, and responsibilities and still have a life. It offers ways to diagnose the problems, assess skills and preferences, and develop sure-fire solutions that each member of the team can take home and apply immediately. This multimedia file is a recording of a webinar originally presented April 14, 2008.

Slice of Life
CURRENTS Article The author of this article describes how she often finds herself somewhat overwhelmed with options that can help her stay current and better serve her institution--listservs, blogs, online publications, print magazines, classes, conferences, and more. And she is not alone. In this article, she describes the best ways for PR people to stay on top of technology-related tools in an ever-changing field. She and other communicators describe what the essentials are to read, review, and attend when time--and money--is limited.

Manager's Portfolio: First Close the Door
CURRENTS Article E-mail overload has become all too common. The hundreds of e-mail messages in your inbox aren't really messages anymore--they're broken promises, missed deadlines, and unfinished work. This article provides tips on how to establish routines that ensure you stay on top of things.

Manager's Portfolio: Defeating "Overwhelm"
CURRENTS Article Everyone seems to be suffering from a daily feeling of being overwhelmed. We feel overwhelmed when we do too much, too fast. This article provides tips on how to say “no” and keep firm boundaries because none of us are superman or superwoman.

Manager's Portfolio: Meetings Take a Beating
CURRENTS Article Many organizations or departments meet out of habit, which can be a waste of everyone's time. This article addresses how managers can make their meetings more meaningful in less time--or how to avoid them altogether.

Manager's Portfolio: On the Ball
CURRENTS Article Elementary school development offices face more challenges every year. How can these small shops handle ever-increasing expectations during a time of belt tightening and greater demands for results? Managers should begin by setting priorities, goals, and objectives as well as the strategies for achieving them. Careful measurement and evaluation will ensure that managers focus on vital fund-raising activities and stay on track toward completion.

Career Path: Time Is on Your Side
CURRENTS Article Can flexible scheduling work in an advancement office? The author, now a senior development officer for Denison University, has arranged for modified work schedules--full-time, part-time, and telecommuting--at two different institutions. She explains how she made the case each time and reflects on her experiences.

AdvanceWork: Time Management or Time Wasted
CURRENTS Article Advancement officers who can never find enough hours in the day might want to examine their time management practices. "First Things First" author Stephen Covey proposes a system of four quadrants for dividing work tasks according to their urgency and importance that can help workers identify if they're driven by crises or bogged down by the mundane.

Career Path: A Date with Success
CURRENTS Article Busy advancement professionals often neglect professional development activities in favor of more "important" responsibilities. Here are 12 ideas to help even the most overtasked advancement officers squeeze professional development into their daily "to-do" lists.