Walking along the hallways of the hospital earlier this month, my greeting to all has been "Happy New Year". And many times after passing the person by, I have thought to myself, wow, another year gone by--where does the time go?

The same sentiments were expressed at a recent meeting--how quickly the days and months just seem to fly by. So with this in mind and the fact that many people make resolutions at this time of year, let's explore time management.

Time management is defined as the act or process of planning and exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase efficiency or productivity.

If asked, most busy managers say they want to maximize their time. Why are some managers better than others at making the most of their time? They know that time is a precious resource and they treat it as such. Every manager has a level playing field: each day has 86,400 seconds in it. Kris Allen even wrote a song about this, but I digress. Wait a minute.I just identified a potential issue, a time stealer if you will! Interruptions: getting off task and not being focused.

While my management style is to have an open door policy, I have given myself permission to close my door when the need arises. I've even gone to the lengths to write a note and post it on the door alerting uninvited visitors that I should only be distributed if there is an emergency, otherwise I will be available after 3 p.m. Additionally, I have left note paper and a pen in case the visitor wants to jot down his message so I can respond when I'm done.

Many of us consistently undervalue and under-appreciate what can actually be accomplished in ten or fifteen minutes of uninterrupted work. You might not be able to finish a big presentation, but you could take the first steps, like making an outline of the first few slides, sending an e-mail information request, or writing an introduction.

Learning to focus takes time and practice, and since you value your time, budget it. I have gotten into the habit of a blocking time each morning (about an hour is right for me) to work on my most important tasks and projects. I limit interruptions during that time. That way, I get to start off my day having accomplished something that is critical to my job, or having moved forward on something important. Usually, the momentum from that will keep me productive for the rest the day, or at the very least prevent me from getting too busy to finish my most critical "must do" tasks.

I also have gotten into the habit of blocking "travel time" to and from meetings. This way, I can be better prepared heading to the meeting and can draft minutes right after the meeting while the information is fresh. There is nothing worse than letting minutes hang over your head waiting to be drafted; the more time that goes by, the more challenging they become.

Another major distraction is cell phone or email alerts that pop up or chime in. There is no rule that says you must stop what you are doing to view a new text or email and immediately respond. Doing so gets you off track and it wastes time. My advice is to turn those features off.

I've been guilty of procrastination, especially when the task at hand is what I consider tedious or, quite frankly, boring. However, prioritizing what needs to be done is another way to maximize your time. For example, responding to the Department of Health or working on re-accreditation from the American College of Radiology should be considered major priorities. Time sensitivity and deadlines can assist you when beginning this process. Again, block time in your day--or better yet on your calendar--to attend to these matters. The reminders from Outlook will help keep you on task. It might be tempting to move on to something that's easier, more fun, or more interesting, but doing so will ultimately only cost you more time and stress later.

The fact is, you have to make choices about how to spend your time. Resolve this year to become a master at prioritizing your day, learning to work on your most important projects first, and then finishing the rest whenever you can--without wasting valuable minutes. You will find yourself getting more done with less stress. Here's to happy and productive managing in 2012!

Kathleen R. Kennedy, MS, RT(R)(QM), is senior director of imaging and physician support services, Mercy Medical Center, Rockville Centre, N.Y.