Work, family, hobbies, and that pesky need to sleep . . . well, it’s just one more thing we have to get done in 24 hours. It’s enough to feel overwhelmed by daily life, because how can you possibly do it all and do it all well? If this sounds like you, you may want to look at boosting your time-management skills. Let’s take a look at where you may be going wrong.

1. Are you disorganized? Poor organization and clutter takes over the space in your brain that should be prioritizing your goals. It leaves you in a constant state of stress and fatigue by drawing your focus away from where it needs to be, and telling your brain that the work is never done. And how can it be done when there’s no end to be found under all that mess?
2. Are you always late? How can you manage your future time when you’re always running behind? When you’re late to work or late to start a project, your mind has to play catchup—so it’s not asking, How can I best manage my time on this? It’s asking, How can I cut corners to get this done as quickly as possible?
3. Are you a perfectionist? There is a fine—but critical—line between doing something well and doing something perfectly. Many would even say that “perfection” is a myth. It’s important to do good work that you’re proud of, but ask if spending an extra 30 minutes proofreading that email will make it better in a way other people will notice. (Remember the 80/20 rule!)
4. Can you manage distractions? Hello Facebook, internet, and water-cooler chats. As fun as those social distractions are, frequent or lengthy interruptions will disrupt your workday’s flow, and suck time away from your productivity. Not to say you shouldn’t welcome a distraction now and again, but make sure taking a break won’t set you back in that moment.
5. Do you take breaks? On the flip side, you need to make time for brain breaks. There is such a thing as burnout, when you’ve been focusing on a project so long, you start to stare off and drool. Trying to push through this phase will actually cause you to be less productive. Instead, unplugging for a few moments will help you return to your project refreshed.
6. Do you have a to-do list? Maybe the best way to manage your time is by using a to-do list to add structure to your day. What are the day’s priorities that must get done? What can you push to tomorrow if you need to? How much time have you allotted to complete each task? Prioritize, assign times, and stick to your list as best as you can. When your time is up for an item, move on to the next one (which will also prevent you from falling into the trap of perfectionism).

There will never be enough hours in the day, but with a little preparation and careful time management, you can make the most of the hours you do have!