Procrastination and disorganization can cause incredible stress. It can also cost you your job, fracture your relationships, and cause you live an insufficient life. Successful people who live happy lives of balance and prosperity have learned the basics of time management.

Listed below are three time management tips to A.C.E. your life.

1. A=Awareness

• Activity Log. The first step is to become aware of how you actually spend your time. Spend 3 days with a piece of paper recording what you do through your day–time spent with cell phones, IPODs, televisions, and computers or time spent emailing, commuting, opening mail, eating, sleeping, reading, and talking to coworkers. This gives you awareness of how you are spending your time now.

• Daily Energy Level. Your energy levels change during the day. Some of us are morning, afternoon, or evening people. Each of us peaks at different times of the day and function at varying levels of effectiveness during the day. What is your rhythm? Are you more effective in the morning, afternoon, or evening? The time that you are in your greatest flow is the time to schedule your most work.

2. C=Choice

• Goals. Goal setting is the foundation of managing the time in your life. Choose what you want in life. Choose your professional and personal goals. Who are you? What is important to you and what will it take to achieve your goals? What career do you want? What are your financial goals in your life? Do you want to practice serving others in some capacity?

• Write each goal down as a positive statement. “I will be a great mathematics high school teacher that will change young people’s lives.”

• Prioritize. Choose your personal and professional priorities and assign a priority for each goal, (one to ten, with one as the most important). This helps you not get overwhelmed.

• To-Do List. Your to-do list is your action plan! This allows you to focus on daily short term completion of tasks that lead you to your goals. It is a great feeling to cross off your items on your to-do list and become a source of motivation for you. Your to-do lists are like the pieces of a puzzle, or components, that create your life goals. Time management is about tackling  the most important jobs first and keeping your focus on what is important to you.

3. E=Energy

• Evaluate Your Energy. As you begin this process of time awareness, be aware of your new energy level. Ask others if they notice a difference and notice if you are getting and achieving your goals in life.

• Scheduling. Scheduling your time is how you choose to spend your precious fleeting time every day of your life. You control your schedule. Your time is your priceless. Peruse your “To Do List,” your goals and schedule your life.

• Schedule time for S.E.L.F.^TM care each day of your life. These are the roots of true happiness and balance.

• Enlist Support. Tell family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. Words are energy and when you tell others incredible energy is unleashed that guides and supports your journey.