25 Secrets To Leaving Work On Time

Meet deadlines, manage email, and minimize meetings to get home to your munchkin faster.

- Sunny Seagold

My husband and I write a line or two each night in a daily diary. It’s a sweet tradition that we started when our daughter, Penny, was born. But reading the entries from the first few months after maternity leave still makes me a little sad: “January 5: Penny rolled over, Sunny worked super late... February 28: S didn’t get home till Penny’s bedtime... March 2: S was supposed to be home by 6:15 but got delayed by boss...” I had an amazing job, but I eventually traded it for another one because I couldn’t make it jibe with my other awesome gig: Being a mom. While ducking out early may not be possible in the real world, leaving on the dot should be. Use this advice culled from leading experts in time management to create more quality time with your baby.

1 start your day smart.

Treat your first two hours at work as if they were gold. “The most successful people I know capitalize on this productive brain time for getting big projects done,” says Laura Vanderkam, author of 168 Hours. Whenever you can, save meetings for after lunch.

2 sketch out your weekly goals.

“Making a written plan for work is crucial for boosting your productivity,” says Vanderkam. Before leaving your job each Friday, jot down the big tasks that need your attention the following week. Come Monday morning, you can dive right in instead of wasting your time trying to recall exactly what it was you wanted to plow through first.

3 slot jobs into specific times and days.

Take your to-do list one step further by plotting when to handle each item. Start by examining your department’s deadlines and priorities to efficiently schedule your time.

4 check, check, check.