Purging your schedule

Having an active social life is crucial to your health. People who isolate themselves from others could increase their risk of death by about 50 percent. 

If you have a busy life, schedule recurring social activities with your closest friends, monthly.  Plan your work schedule around...

Much advice about time management is about creating a to-do list, reminding you what you want to do. However, it's more important to use a schedule, which tells you when you're going to do it.

• Create "bookends" for each day

We tend to ignore our energy levels when planning our work, but it's a major player in productivity. Everyone's energy spikes at different times—we each have our own built-in body clock called a circadian rhythm.

If you know you're most productive right before lunch, for instance, don't pla...