Time is great equalizer. Everybody has exact same number of hours in each day. For most people, hours available are usually less than hours needed to get everything done. However, by using following principles of creativity, you should be able get more done in less time, while making certain that you are doing what's most important and moving yourself closer to your goals.

1. Start with quiet focus

When you have a lot to do, your first instinct is probably to hit ground running. If you feel you have a tremendous amount to do, you may feel urge to jump in and get started on your work. Rather than doing that, take a few minutes to get calm and organize your thoughts. Think of this as a short form of meditation - just try to empty your mind. After you have done this, your focus, energy, and perspective will all be improved. Taking a few minutes up front to center yourself can make you tremendously more productive.

2. Brainstorm your day

Take a piece of paper (it can be a loose sheet, but it can be helpful if it's part of a designated notebook or planner) and write down everything you need to do that day. Let your mind flow, and get everything out. As with all creative exercises, don't criticize your ideas - don't think of something you'd like to do and then not write it down because you think you won't be able to do it or that you shouldn't do it. The most important thing here is that you get everything onto page.

3. Apply 80/20 Rule to your List

Take this list you've created and apply 80/20 rule to it. Remember, 80 percent of your results come from 20 percent of your effort. Circle only 20% of items that will yield 80% of those results. This step will focus your day down to critical tasks you must get down.

4. Chunk Up

For each circled activity, chunk up. Put bigger picture in perspective. This will refocus and motivate you to work on it. Or, it may make you realize that task is not as important as you thought. Having a 'why' is very helpful in getting us to work towards our goal, especially if task is something we're not excited about doing.

5. Chunk Down

For each circled item remaining on list, chunk down. Break items down into smaller parts. You should strive to get them to a point where each task is broken down into a series of single action items. How big each item is depends on your work style. I like my action items to be things I can complete between 15 minutes and 1 hour.