If you’re trying to claw back some time out of your busy schedule, what can you do? One thing we can try is to look at things that really amount to little more than busy work in our schedule, but give us the illusion that we are accomplishing something.

Here are a few suggestions from business advisor Dorie Clark.

One is to ease up on checking email, which can act like a stimulus-response activity. We keep hitting that refresh button to see what new stuff has just come in. We tend to back into it more often than we know is good for us just to get that thrill of finding out what’s new. Instead, set up a schedule for when you will look at email, every hour or two hours, for example.

Also stop the mindless habits, things that you continue to do even though they serve no real purpose. One example is sending out the mountain of Christmas cards every year because it’s something you have always done. Do you need to send that many?

Another thing to look at is your reading. Did you get a subscription just because they were offering a deal on it? Do you feel you have to consult an array of news sources each day to keep up with things? Can you narrow down your professional reading list? Are all of those publications you are reading to supposedly help you with your job and career really helping that much? What can you cut out?

Are there tasks you are doing that are more trouble than they are worth? In other words, are there activities that make you jump through so many hoops compared to the return that is delivered that make the task really not worth doing?

Are you tying yourself up by making things more complicated than they need to be? Worrying or planning for things that never materialize comes under this category. Most of the things we fear will happen never do, and so we waste time making plans for nothing. There are a lot of “what ifs” to every project, but it is important to ask the what if only when appropriate.

Have you been wondering “what if” you found a new job? If so, and if you live in the NYC area, contact a recruiter at Winston Resources. We can help you find work with some of Manhattan’s best companies. We look forward to hearing from you!