By Ian Lamont

Time flies, as they say. It’s almost noon, and I am further behind than I was when the day started. How is this possible?

Most nights I awaken with a task on my mind. I keep a “To do” pad close by my bed in the dark, so as not to wake my wife, and I quickly write down the task and go back to sleep. By morning, when the alarm goes off, I have a scribbled “To do” list of what I hope to accomplish that day.

Sound familiar? It certainly described me when I was younger. While many of you may sleep more soundly, I would bet most of you start your days off with a mental or written “To do” list.

And like the younger me, most of you suddenly discover it is noon, you have had a very busy morning, but not only have you not accomplished any of your “to do’s,” - your list is now even longer.

If this describes you, then you suffer from Connectile Dysfunction, or CD. If you have CD - and the majority of you do - you have the inability to connect time with tasks.

With CD, you lose track of time, you are constantly on the verge of being overloaded, and you are always looking for a magic pill (it is not blue) that will suddenly allow you to manage your time effectively and efficiently.

While I admit to suffering from CD when I was younger, I was able to overcome it. Now, while I still have plenty to do, I am in control of my schedule, as well as my “To do” list, and I no longer feel on the verge of being overwhelmed. It also doesn’t hurt to have a wonderful management team around me. But what do you do if you are not surrounded by such a team and you cannot delegate?

One of the best books I have read on strategies for swamped people or individuals who suffer from CD is “Time Traps” by Todd Duncan. In his book, Duncan states as much as 75 percent of the time you spend on the job is a waste of time! As the late John Wooden said: “Do not mistake activity for achievement.” Too many of you are guilty of mistaking being busy with doing your job well.

So how do you conquer CD? First of all, you need to admit you suffer from CD. No, you do not need to stand up in front of room and say “I am a CD addict.” But you do need to admit to yourself that you lose track of time and are constantly falling behind your “To do” list.

Second, you need to forget about trying to improve your time management and adopt a far more actionable approach: task management. Duncan advocates various strategies in his book on task management.

If you are able to make this switch, you will become more valuable to your employer, make more money and have more free time. Sounds too good to be true? It is not if you adopt the right strategies:

The concept of time management is flawed. You can’t manage time, any more than you can cup your hands and hold water. You can manage your thoughts and actions, which is task management.

Duncan’s book focuses on “time traps.” Time traps steal energy and time. Knowing what they are and avoiding them are the best ways to get rid of your CD.

Identity Trap – this is when you are consumed by work and/or the recovery from work. You become known to yourself and others solely by your job. Solution: To reclaim your true identity, you must regain control. To do so you must 1) determine how you are wasting your time and 2) determine how to spend more time on the things that produce the life you desire.

Organization Trap – you have difficulty multitasking and/or committing to detail and follow-through. Only by a concerted effort do you occasionally get your day organized and under control. Solution: You must free yourself from the traps that steal your time. Stop all unnecessary tasks, prioritize and schedule most important tasks, complete these tasks efficiently and on time, avoid old obstacles and remain focused.

‘Yes’ Trap – you say “yes” much too often and end up starting more work than you can finish. You can’t help but say “yes” because you are confident you can do it all. In fact, you will often say “consider it done.” Solution: Say “no” more often. Make it a practice that you first thought is to say “no,” then decide.

Control Trap – you take ownership, you cannot or do not want to delegate. As a self-starter, you want to be in control. Solution: Identify two to three most important tasks and stay on those. Work on tasks that are the most fertile and produce the biggest bang for your time. Seek help from others.

Technology Trap – we are consumed by all the technology around us. You have your PDA, cell phone, laptop around you, and everything you do involves the Web and being online. Using technology properly is a good thing; just avoid it impeding your productivity. Solution: Limit what you need around you. Turn your cell phone off for periods. Handle e-mails at certain times, not as they come in. Use technology to your benefit. You do not need to know every feature or have every new application.

If you know you have a task-management problem but don’t recognize yourself in any of the traps above, then you might want to get Todd Duncan’s book. He goes into a lot more detail and even lists a number of other “time traps.”

So while you may be suffering from a severe case of Connectile Dysfunction today, you can be symptom-free quickly. Acknowledge your symptoms and apply the strategies above and you'll notice an immediate improvement.

Ian Lamont now works with his two sons at The Lamont Group (TLG). Recently retired, Ian spend the last 18 years of his career as a CEO of multimedia and energy businesses. At TLG Ian's focus is assisting individuals and organizations to succeed and grow. Ian can be reached via e-mail at ian@lamontgroup.biz or by calling 562-544-5822. For more information on TLG go to: www.thelamontgroup.com. Lamont's column reflects his own views and not necessarily those of the Long Beach Business Journal.