The key to having more time

• Do it once. Once you have decided on a system for doing something, resist the temptation to "improve" it constantly. It may benefit from improving, but it's often not worth your time to do it. Getting things done is better than devising the perfect way to do them.

• Make it easy. Don't forget to use your systems. If you've decided you can't be bothered to hang your coat in the closet (or the closet is inconvenient or nonexistent), get a coat rack rather than using the back of a chair. If you've concluded that the most efficient way to get through your mail is to stand in the front hall and open it the minute you get home, do that. Unless you hear screams for help or smell smoke, just stand there and do it.

• Give it time. The key to having more time is to take seriously all the little things you have to do every day that take time. It's very tempting to say you'll open the mail after dinner, but that means less time to do something else more enjoyable, and the more you put off a task, the more unpleasant it seems. The fact is that eating, sleeping, bathing, dressing and opening the mail are (generally) daily time consumers and need to be factored into your schedule. If you leave enough time for them, you'll become more realistic about how much time you actually have left over and you'll be less prone to overscheduling.