Do you sometimes find yourself looking at a packed schedule and wondering where you'll find the time to do all the work that's expected of you? On some days, the difference between getting the job done and taking work home with you is about knowing how to make the most of limited amounts of time. Few enemies to efficiency are more insidious and unforgiving than disorganization.

For example, is your to-do list an ever-thickening mass of sticky notes framing the edges of your computer monitor? Do you find yourself missing or rescheduling appointments because your work calendar and your personal calendar have never had the chance to meet? Do important action items linger in e-mail threads, which in turn languish in the abyss of your e-mail inbox?

According to Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro®, having a time-management system that adheres to the HUG principle — that is, a Handy, Usable, and Garbage-free system — is key to maintaining control of your schedule and your life. Whether you work best with a paper planner, an electronic mobile device, or a combination of both, make sure that your system is organized in a way that allows you to easily stay connected to your calendar, to-do lists, project tracking, and contacts. In other words, no missing information, no confusing clutter, no wasted time.

The following articles, template, and demo will help you create a time-management system that works.

• Build an effective time-management system (Article)
  Now that you know why, here's how. Build an organizational system that serves your needs.
• Paper versus electronic organizer quiz (Template)
  Are you nothing without your paper planner? Or is a mobile device more your speed? Find out which one best suits your style.
• Fly me to the moon: Go mobile with Office (Article)
  Learn what mobile devices can do — and which one is right for you.
• Make the most of 15 minutes in Outlook 2003 (Demo)
  Got just a few minutes before that next meeting? You can accomplish more than you think.
• Manage your time with Outlook (Article)
  Let Jim Boyce, author of Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Inside Out, show you how using Outlook 2003 can help you do more with your time.
• Turn a message into a meeting request (Article)
  Need to call a meeting to discuss a point brought up in e-mail? Here's a quick, easy way.
• Turn a message into a task (Article)
  Don't let the action items in an e-mail message fall through the cracks. Create a task in Outlook 2003 and schedule a reminder now.
• Manage lists with Outlook notes (Article)
  Create and organize to-do items and other lists by using the Outlook notes feature.