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In difficult times we still have 24 hours a day. That might seem like a very natural statement, but think about it. In the good times everybody has so much time to do what is profitable and what they enjoy. In difficult times it becomes far harder to apply your mind because of procrastination and fear. The one thing we lack is confidence. When we are fearful, we are either paralyzed or frenetic and often unproductive. Either way, effective time management loses its way.
So personally I think that time management is a misleading statement. Time is time. It cannot be expanded or contracted. The proper title should be that time management is really self management managing myself in the dimension of time. Everybody gets 24 hours. You cannot expand it or contract it. So self management is really what counts: how I manage myself within the 24-hour period determines if I reach my goals or not. Intentions don't show up in diaries; actions do.
I once agreed to do an exercise where I kept a diary of everything that I did and listed in 15-minute segments for two weeks for every single day. Apart from being detailed and tedious, it gave me insight into how I use my time and more importantly if I was really achieving my goals. I then became a convert to keeping a diary daily, which was linked to my goals and objectives, and this was 23 years ago, and I'm still converted to this fact.
From this experience I came up with a few negotiables.
1. Always plan tomorrow five minutes before the end of today.
Why? Your day is fresh in your mind so that you can see what you did and what needs to be carried over, so list those things that are carryovers for tomorrow. Secondly your mind needs to be freed up when you go home so that you can rest and not worry about that department presentation. Did you really sort it out or didn't' you? The brain needs rest.
2. Select your priorities according to your energy levels.
I list all of my activities for the day and divide them into A's and C's. A's are the top in priority that require concentration and dedicated time. C's are less important and require less focus. Now assess your energy levels. When during the day are you able to do your As and your Cs? Some clients I work with like to do their As from 8 to 11 in the morning and then take a break around lunch to do Cs and then do As later on in the afternoon. You may be different, but listen to your body when you're doing your diary management for tomorrow. Each day may vary, so set up your diary according to your energy levels.
3. Your diary keeps you honest.
Commit to do what the diary says, and only change in exceptional cases. I'm not advocating legalism, but this is your diary, and these are your goals that need to be achieved. The diary is simply a tool that makes this come true on a daily basis. When you're doing your As, you get two kinds of priorities. An A that is overwhelming is one that needs time and energy to be committed to it. In this do what we call the Swiss cheese approach. Swiss cheese is full of holes, so do a few activities each day towards this, and slowly but surely it will all be eaten up. If it's unpleasant, this type of A needs to be done immediately. As they say in the Nike adverts, "Just do it." Otherwise it becomes overwhelming as well.
We all know the old adage that says that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. I think Confucius was wise in what he said. time management using a diary is your single step every day to achieving your life goals. You might have dreams and visions of what you want to become, and these might become quite emotional as you write them down, but I can assure you that they are only as good as what you're going to put in your diary tomorrow regarding that dream. One step after the other will take you to the top of the highest mountain you could ever consider climbing.
Murray Kilgour is a leadership coach focusing on taking you to the next level in your leadership style, business or personal development. His wealth of experience over 20 years will help you gain new insight. Click here to view a selection of his videos or visit his website at www.murraykilgour.com for lots of free content. 
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