Too many design professionals waste too much time. They work long hours — but don’t make the best use of those hours.

You can make the most of your time by applying the principles I came across recently from time management specialist Steve Pavlina (StevePavlina.com):

+ Worst First. To defeat procrastination, learn to take your most unpleasant task first thing in the morning.

+ Peak Times. Identify your peak cycles of productivity, and schedule your most important tasks for those times.

+ Timeboxing. Give yourself a fixed period, like 30minutes, to make a dent in a task.

+ Early Bird. Get up early in the morning, like at 5 a.m., and go straight to work on your most important task.

+ Relaxify. Reduce stress by cultivating a relaxing, clutter-free workspace.

How to master your time and maximize your profits is the theme of our new audio program, Work Less,  Earn More .