Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.

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Most managers complain of not having enough time. They rush through tasks so they can move on to the next thing. But this kind of haste creates more chaos than it avoids. Instead, approach every task in three parts: Prep-Do-Review.

o Spend a minute or two, or even a few seconds, thinking about what you’re going to do before you do it. Ask yourself what you’re trying to accomplish and who should be involved.

o Then, do the task.

o Once completed, think about what you did and what happened. What did you learn? What will you do differently?

Being thoughtful allows you to accomplish more with each task. You may not be crossing things off your to-do list faster, but you’ll find you have much more control over the results.

Adapted from “Better Time Management Is Not the Answer” by Linda Hill & Kent Lineback.

To check out that article and join the discussion, please click here.

Also, you may wish to check out an anthology, Management Tips from Harvard Business Review, by clicking here.