Legendary business expert Peter Drucker once said, “Until we can manage TIME, we can manage nothing else.” He recommended never putting more than one thing at a time on your to-do list; because it isn’t possible, he said, to really succeed at more than one thing at a time.

Doing that is much easier said than done. These days focus and time management seem to be very rare commodities. There are more and more easily accessible distractions than ever. If you’re anywhere near any communication tool–the internet, your cell phone, the TV or whatever–then the question becomes not if you’ll soon be distracted, but when . . . and by which “time-saving miracle.”

On the other hand, even the smallest consistent effort can produce life-changing results. If you can find a way to stick to a time commitment of even just fifteen minutes a day, you can start getting rid of those small “tolerations” as well as begin tackling the bigger projects.  You’ll multiply your productivity and develop a sense of accomplishment.  Try this challenge:

1. Invest just fifteen minutes a day on getting better organized. Make sure they’re written into your schedule at a time of day when you’re alert and energetic.

2. Make a strong commitment to stick to your daily schedule for a full month. Don’t try to commit to any longer than that, or you’re setting yourself up for failure.

3. Put away any potential distractions.  Close all your internet windows, turn off your phone, lock the door, or even put on headphones to limit household or office noise if necessary. After a quick check of the time, begin working on a task that builds on the previous day’s success and prepares you for the next day’s effort. Every success, after all, is a link between two other successes and a step in the right direction.

4. Increase your chances of success by using an organizational tool that isn’t so complicated it turns into another distraction. Use a written mind map, or a simple filing program like Paper Tiger, to record the steps you’re taking and where you’re putting away things with. Then you won’t have to repeat your effort later, or waste time looking for whatever you’ve been working on.

5. Improve your odds of success if you promise a reward for the end of the month. If your attention span is especially suspect, plan a smaller intermediate reward for the end of every successful week too.

Best wishes for your success in the New Year.