The ability to manage your workflow is critical for staying organized and meeting your day-to-day objectives as well as your long-term goals..

“When you have a million things to, do you can get distracted and lose focus because you are always thinking about what you have to do next,” says Raymond Yates, senior financial advisor with Save Right Financial Inc. in Brampton, Ont. “This can be stressful and show up in your behaviour with staff and in client meetings”

The solution, says George Hartman, president and CEO of Market Logics in Toronto, is to find a time-management structure that works for you — whatever it is — and stick with it.

Here a suggested five-step plan for managing your work flow:

1. Write it down
“Make a list of all the things you have to do,” Yates says. This step “clears your head,” he says, relieving you of the responsibility to keep track of your tasks on your mind.

The most popular method of making lists today involves using a computer or a mobile device. But you should use whatever you’re most comfortable with, even that means writing it down on a notepad.

“The key is that your list must be accessible at all times,” Yates says. “And you must have the ability to add and cross off items when necessary.”

2. Process new activities immediately
On a day-to-day basis, you might have cause to add new items to your list. However, Yates suggests, before you add a new task to your list, determine whether it is actionable or whether you should pass it on to another staff member.

You should be able to determine things you simply don’t want to do and make such decision immediately.

3. Prioritize tasks
Hartman recommends listing your tasks in order of priority. For example, you can use an “A,B,C priority listing” to rank activities in order of importance. You must also stay on top of items that require follow up action or the input of others.

“If an item is your responsibility but you have passed it on to another staff member,” Yates says, “make a note to follow up to ensure that it is completed. Items that do not require immediate attention can be deferred to a later date.”

4. Manage your list
Cross items off your list as you complete them. “You will be surprised at how good you feel when you cross off items with high priority,” Yates says.

One important tip: do not put off tasks that require little time and can be done immediately, he says.

5. Review periodically
Hartman recommends setting aside time to review your list and assess how well you are doing.

“Self assessment on a regular basis is important,” he says, “to keep score and to determine how well you’re managing your time.” It also gives you an opportunity determine whether you’ve missed anything.

Reviewing your list also gives you a chance to determine whether you should remove any items because a situation has changed, Yates says. Or you might find it necessary to re-prioritize certain items.