A colleague asked me for some pointers on how to better manage time.  And, it occurred to me that the advice I offer will be useful to many more people out there.

Here are some of the techniques that work for me :

Slot time in your calendar for your Things to Do, instead of setting up task-list reminders.  That way, you get a reminder and you have also blocked time to do it!
 
Include reminders in your calendar for milestones or review stages of a big task too, and not just for the completion date of the task at hand.
 
As soon as you complete a meeting, setup a meeting request (or a calendar slot) for the actionables discussed – For yourself and your team members
 
Subscribe to some newsletters or read some articles, once in a while, on how to manage time better.  Slot time for that in your calendar, too!
 
Learn to distinguish between what’s important (and not urgent) and what’s merely urgent (and not important).  Then, slot time for the important stuff, too.  So that your “urgent” task list comes down.
 
If sub-tasks on your To Do list need to be delegated, delegate them NOW.  That way, the other guy’s clock can start while you’re still managing your ToDo list.

Don’t keep your Outlook open in the background.  When it’s open, don’t set it at “Check Mail Every Minute”!  Instead, set yourself time slots to check mail from time to time (e.g. every hour or three).  You’ll get more work done that way.

Here’s an excellent series of articles on how to keep your Inbox more manageable.  And, the parent site – 43 Folders – is a treasure trove of tips and tricks on how to “get things done” more efficiently.
 
Lastly, read “The 8th Habit” by Stephen Covey.   It will offer a very important perspective.