The entire body of work can be broken down to just a few simple methods.

To Do List:  Write It Down

The first time management technique is that you must get your “to do” list out of your head and onto paper. Write down your list of tasks, and then to go from there. You can use a modern spreadsheet or software package such as Microsoft Outlook. You could even conceivably use an audio recording device such as a tape recorder. The bottom line is that in order to effectively manage your time (a limited resource) you must record your activities somewhere out in the “external” world.

Motivation:  End Procrastination

After that, all the gurus will always emphasize some form of self-motivation. The whole problem is really procrastination. We are avoiding these responsibilities not because we can’t remember them but because we view them as negative. An important technique is to bang it into your mind that getting things done is actually a positive development. The psychologists would highly suggest offering yourself some sort of award, just as we do for little children, in order to motivate yourself to seize control of your life and time. These tasks must be knocked out, but you won’t take them on until you view the alternative as a penalty. One way to do this is to change up the reward/punishment configuration.

Accountability

Then there are time management techniques that involve keeping yourself accountable to someone or something. This could be as simple as periodically reflecting on your to do list throughout the day, or it could mean “checking in” with a trusted peer regularly. We humans will lie to ourselves all day long but when you bring in some sort of external authority the picture will often change.

Now, I am not saying that this is all you’re going to need in order to turn your fortune around. The fact is that modern life is very full of countless responsibilities, so it is really an ongoing struggle. “There is no finish line,” is a term that comes to mind. All we can realistically hope for is to continually grow in effectiveness and efficiency. You might be surprised with how much of a difference just implementing one of these time management techniques will make. You will become happier, more at ease, and notably more accomplished. At this point it is easy to let up, but if you do you will drift back (slowly or quickly) into the stagnant abyss from which you came.

In the end, I would recommend that if you want to get a hold on your time management you start simple. Above all, find out what works for you and then cling to it. Everyone is different so you may have to experiment a little until you find the right techniques.