"Time — it's the only resource that is in absolutely limited supply. You can't buy, steal or borrow any more of it," said Wynn Montgomery, a partner with WynnMill Solutions and time-management instructor for continuing education at Kennesaw State University. "We all want to get more done and feel better about the way we use our time, but what we really need to learn is how to manage ourselves, not time."

"People want a quick fix," said Nancy Colter, principal of Nancy Colter Consulting and time-management instructor for Emory University's Center for Lifelong Learning. "I've been researching about time-efficiency for more than eight years, and there is no magic pill. If you want to know where your time goes, you have to find out for yourself."

LEITA COWART/Special (ENLARGE)

'Because of technology, we have this need to do more things, and we always overestimate what we can do. We overcommit, so there is no flexibility in our day at home or at work. We don't even know what time feels like, and we're constantly racing the clock,' said Nancy Colter.

Tip: Keep a time log.

"Because of technology, we have this need to do more things, and we always overestimate what we can do," Colter said. "We overcommit, so there is no flexibility in our day at home or at work. We don't even know what time feels like, and we're constantly racing the clock."

For several days, log everything you do and how long it takes. Then make a realistic to-do list.

Tip: Make a real to-do list.

"Do a dump on paper of everything you think you have to do that day, then highlight the things that you must do first. If you don't get to the secondary items, don't automatically move them to the next day. Ask yourself if you still need to do them first," Colter said.

Tip: Learn to say "no" when you're busy.

You can't say no to patients' needs, but you can control personal interruptions.

"Devise ways to let people know you are busy. You can learn to say 'no' to interruptions or offer an alterative, such as, 'Let's talk about that over lunch — or tomorrow, when I've completed this project,' " Montgomery said.

Tip: Ask about priorities.

"Learning to ask questions is a simple and often-overlooked time-management tool, Colter said.

Ask when something is due. "If we don't ask, we assume everything is of equal importance. We don't know what the priorities are, and that adds stress."

Colter suggests building a 20 percent cushion of time into tasks and moving up deadlines to give yourself some breathing room.

Tip: Work in a proactive, not reactionary, mode.

"Awareness is 90 percent of change. Doing a time log will show you where your time-wasting addictions are," said Greg Vetter, principal of Vetter Productivity Inc., an Atlanta efficiency expert.

"Most of us are hooked to multiple pieces of technology (phone, computer, cellphone, BlackBerry, etc.). Each floods us with information so that we are constantly working in reactionary mode. We don't know how to unplug."

E-mail is one of the biggest challenges facing workers.

"It's a monster let loose on business without a leash," Vetter said. "Most companies never created policies and procedures for it; we use it for everything and spend hours responding to it."

It's best to prioritize e-mail.

"Use the FADS system to deal with messages," Vetter said. "Every e-mail should be forwarded, put in an action folder, deleted or saved to a support category where you store information you need.

"Put all e-mails that need a reply in one folder. The worst thing to do is just leave everything in the box and be constantly shuffling through it looking for things."

Tip: Forget multitasking.

Switching back and forth between tasks actually takes longer than if you finish something before turning to the next thing, experts say. Batching similar tasks together, such as answering e-mails, phoning, filling out forms or paying bills, saves time, Vetter said.

Tip: Clean out the clutter.

"Get organized by creating logical file systems for your papers and on your computer. I give my clients permission to throw stuff out. Clutter is distracting," said Peggy Duncan, an Atlanta productivity expert and coach.

Tip: Know your technology.

Technology changes constantly in health care. Get the training needed to use it well.

"On the technology you touch every day, you should be darn near perfect," Duncan said.

Tip: Take time to save time.

"Time management takes time," Duncan said.

"You may have to give up a couple of weekends to organize or take some computer classes, but you are investing in you.

"Because you're adding to your knowledge and working smarter, you'll give up some time, but you'll get it all back."

— This article is a reprint from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.