Some people may start with a "big vision" plan that incorporates all their major goals. Others may feel more comfortable and satisfied by targeting one key goal and starting to work toward it first. Whichever way you start, making a schedule and trying your best to stick to it is an effective way of getting there. How can you do this? Try time-boxing.

Time-boxing is a powerful scheduling method that can help you block out your days. Simply put, time-boxing is an iterative process that helps you shape your schedule to accomplish your desired goals.

Create a to-do list.Decide what you want to accomplish, and then create a to-do list of tasks. List everything you want to accomplish in a given time period - a day, week, month, or a quarter. The to-do list can include goals, tasks necessary to achieve the goals, and personal activities such as exercise.

Break your list into categories.Take your to-do list and organize it by breaking it into categories. Group your tasks by job functions such as strategy, business development, daily operations, and people management. (Remember: the time boxing technique can be applied to your personal life as well - group a personal to-do list into categories such as gardening, playing golf, or cooking.)

Record your time.For one week, keep a record of what you do and how long each task takes. Track your accomplints, noting what you finish, what you don't finish. At the end of the week, look back at your record to see if you're spending your time in the right places, the places you feel are important.

Build your time-estimating skill.If you don't set parameters for how much time to devote to each task, to-do lists will only be marginally useful. Estimate will not only help you complete the items on your lists, but it will impriove your ability to estimate time.