time management

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

In 2011, our goal is to be so organized and emotionally balanced that daily life feels like one big yoga class: Full of deep, calm breaths. Last year, we spent too long being so busy we couldn’t keep up. This year, Zen. Here’s how.

Death To Post-It Notes And Lists: Put each of your work and personal tasks on your calendar, no matter how small. Appraise your time honestly—taking your blouse to the dry cleaner may seem like a five-minute errand, but is it, really? People tend to ditch their schedules in frustration after they fall behind on more than a task or two, so err on the side of overestimating. There’s lots of stuff you’d like to do, but ask yourself if your energy is going to peter out some time between editing your sister’s college essay and making a big pot roast. Be totally, no-holds-barred honest with yourself.

Rules Of Thumb For Crafting A Successful And Stress-Free Calendar:

• Estimate how long each task will take and then add at least fifteen minutes to that number.
• Schedule a short break for yourself every hour and a half, no matter what you’re doing.
• Build in 30 minutes to go over your calendar at the beginning of each month. At the beginning of each week, spend 15 minutes reviewing it. Spend no more than five minutes on your calendar each day.
• One month ahead is as far out as you need to think. If you’re big into planning ahead, it’s okay to chart out the whole year (when you’ll buy gifts for friends’ summer weddings, when to choose Thanksgiving plane tickets, etc.). Otherwise, don’t sweat it.

Break Every Project Into Manageable Chunks.

Don’t put “presentation to the marketing department” on your calendar. Instead, break it down into micro-tasks: Tracking down last year’s budget, calling people for artwork, etc.

Read on, for more tips.

When I came across Real Simple reader accounts of how to save time on dinner, housekeeping, etc., I couldn't stop laughing. So many of these reader stories are hysterical — but mostly, because they're so true. Some of the most inventive (read: not tastiest) meals I've made have come from a lack of time and ingredients. And like another Real Simple reader, I can totally relate to last minute touches to my work wear, though instead of "duct-tape [at] the hem of my work pants" mine was a safety pin at the buttonhole of my pants.

So, whether you've got a hysterical story to share for laughs, or maybe have a pretty handy time-saver to tell, I want your time-saving tips and confessions here. Be sure to share in comments and I'll be sure to round up all the best tips, advice, and all of your funniest anecdotes.

If you consider yourself a powerful and effective worker, you may be underestimating how long it will take you to get your business done. Recent research suggests that powerful people can be overly optimistic about the time it takes for them to accomplish tasks — and therefore less likely to make an accurate prediction. The error rate for these so-called "powerful people" can reach up to 70 percent. To see why, keep reading.