Part of a successful Time Diet is remaining in control of your schedule and your attitude toward time management. A good way to do this is to anticipate when your hectic and difficult times are going to be and plan ahead for them. For example, I know that every year toward the middle of October, I start to worry about how I’m going to get everything done before the semester ends in December. The reality of all these impending deadlines starts to set in and I start to go into panic mode. Luckily, I know this is going to happen so I can plan ahead to deal with it.

The second half of a semester is usually more stressful than the first, so I try to get as much done ahead of time in the beginning of the semester as possible. I may have a lot of things to do in December, but at least I’ve started them! I also know that by the time mid-October comes around I am desperate for a get-away, so my husband and I planned a 3-day trip to San Francisco. There was so much work I could have been doing during those 3 days, but this trip was a much-needed “dessert” and it was well worth it.

When do your hectic times occur during the year? Is there anything you can do now that will help ease the stress and workload of those times? If nothing else, you can at least look back on all the hectic times you’ve survived in the past and move forward with the knowledge that you’ve gotten through it before and you’ll get through it again. As for me, I know I’ve gotten through other stressful Octobers before and by the time December gets here I’ll have everything done that needs to be done. Besides, if I’m not working, I want to be relaxing, not worrying about what deadlines are coming up!