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I bet you’re frustrated over never having enough time to get everything done in the day. As we’re all too aware, there are only a limited number of hours in each day, and that will never change no matter how hard we might wish it to.

Unfortunately, most people find they have too little time to get everything done because they have several time killers in their life – things that take up much more time than they should. Here are 5 common time killers, as well as tips on how you can avoid them.

Poor Equipment

Have you ever had to wait for your computer to start up, or a file you need to open, or even a photocopier to make the copies you need? Perhaps your computer is even crashing constantly, forcing you to restart several times a day.

Often these problems come about from buying the cheapest option, or not maintaining the equipment properly. It’s a false economy to do either – the few dollars you save is vastly outweighed by the cost of the time you lose. Fix or replace any such equipment as soon as possible.

Telephone Calls

The telephone is both a blessing and a curse. When used correctly, it can be a great time saver. At other times it can easily kill a huge amount of time.

Always know exactly what you are going to say before you call someone. Once you are talking to the right person quickly identify yourself, cover what you need then hang up. No casual chatting!

If you are receiving calls, and/or have a mobile, decide on fixed times when you will and won’t answer the phone. For a normal phone, make sure to screen calls. For a mobile, simply turn it off and let the calls go through to voicemail. Then pick a later time to go through all the messages, and only answer the ones that are important.

People who won’t stop talking

We all know them – people who love the sound of their voice so much, they just won’t shut up. Unfortunately, they rarely listen to you telling them that you have to go. Your best bet is to avoid them where you can. If they call you, make sure to screen your calls (perhaps using called ID), and simply let the answering machine take their messages.

Traffic jams

Everyone who has lived (or passed through) a city has experienced the joys of traffic jams at some time or another. While there isn’t any way to get through a traffic jam any faster, you do have a few options.

Try to leave earlier (or later), so you avoid the traffic. If that’s not possible, investigate public transport options like the subway. Finally, see if there is something else you can do in the car at the same time – perhaps listen to a training CD, or get a lift with someone else and do your work while they deal with the traffic!

Meetings

Meetings can be huge time killers, especially if there is no clear agenda for the meeting. If possible, avoid going to meetings that you don’t have to attend. If the meeting is unavoidable, encourage the meeting organizer to use (and stick to) an agenda so everyone knows what will be covered. This allows people to (hopefully) gather their thoughts ahead of time, and will limit off-topic conversation.

All of us have time killers in our life. The people who are successful know how to identify those time killers, and how to avoid them. And if all else fails, sit down and relax with a nice cup of coffee made by Chemex coffee makers. Or for a slightly fancier cup of coffee, try the Nespresso c100 Essenza.