55.

Get Your Priorities Straight

Your clients, bosses, employers, and supervisors really don't care how hard or how long you work. They just want to know that you got them what they paid for, on time, and on—or under—budget. That means you must always be as efficient as you possibly can. The less time you spend on a client's project, the higher your hourly rate. If the client pays you $1,000 to get something done, the game for you is how little time it will take you. Speaking as a boss, I only care about the results. The members of my team are free to choose the process by which they get their work done, and I highly value efficiency.

When you're managing your time, you need to look at what's important to you and your clients. What's the goal? What are the deliverables? When does the client need them? (If the goal is one you've set for yourself, you are the client.) When you begin with the end goal in mind, how you structure your time naturally flows from there.