You’ve tried to get a better handle on your schedule, but things aren’t working out.

You’ve tried complicated time management techniques and scheduling patterns, yet time still slips away from you.

Sometimes, the best solution to a problem is the simplest.

In this post, I point out several simple time management mistakes you may not have previously considered.

Guessing how much time has passed in a given moment.

Ever have one of those moments when you’re waiting for something, and you think, “Oh, it’s only been fifteen minutes,” but in reality, the time you’ve spent waiting is closer to thirty minutes…or more?

That brief moment of guessing could cost you several minutes’ worth of time, and many more minutes of frustration. This isn’t to say that guessing the time doesn’t have it’s merits, but it’s probably something you want to avoid if you’re pressed for time. When in doubt, just check the clock. You’ll thank yourself later.

Starting work…even though you know you have to leave in a few minutes.

You start off with the best of intentions; you have a few minutes before you need to leave for an appointment, and decide to dive into a couple of tasks on your computer. Twenty minutes flash by like lightning before you realize you’re hopelessly late for your meeting. Oops.

If you know you have to leave for something soon, don’t tempt the clock with last-minute tasks. Turn your focus instead to getting out the door on time.

Not setting a specific amount of time for a phone call or meeting.

How many times have you heard the phrase, “I’ll only need a couple of minutes to talk?” As innocent as this phrase may sound, it is a full-blown a time waster. “A couple of minutes” may mean five minutes to some people, while others may think of it as thirty minutes. Besides, who really talks about anything for “just” two minutes?

Do yourself and the other person a favor by stating how long of a time you’ll need for your call. You’ll have an agreed upon time in which to work.

Not setting a deadline.

Deadlines are sometimes seen as nasty, ugly things that interrupt you from getting work done. Actually, deadlines are quite helpful when it comes to doing your work. They give you a finite end to a project or set of work. Labor away without a deadline, and well, you could keep working on that same project for the next twenty-five years.

If you feel as if you’ve been waffling on a project for some time, set a detailed deadline for yourself that includes not only a specific day, but a specific time, as well. You have a solid, tangible point in time towards which you can work.

How about you? What simple time management mistakes have you come across in your travels? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!