I attack each day with excitement and vigor. When I wake up, I can hardly wait to get going. Why? Because I have some goals to accomplish for that day. Not busywork, not tasks, not process--but specific goals that are measurable and achievable for that day. This mindset automatically makes you manage time better.

But, don't stop with goals. Whatever you are doing, break it down. You can chew more efficiently when you don't bite off too much at once. So, break your tasks down into small chunks.

The more "in the moment" you are, the more energy you can bring to bear on what you are doing. Rather than groan that you have four hours of work to do, look at the first step of the project. Hey, it's only about five minutes of work and anyone can work for five minutes. Take this approach, and you won't be pacing yourself to last four hours. In fact, you are likely to finish in much less time--and with a lower error rate because your focus is sharper.

Remember, a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. If you take one step enough times, you'll complete the journey. But if you think of the journey in its entirety as you begin, you set yourself up for failure.