Every schedule reflects its maker’s unique set of priorities and responsibilities. No two people have precisely the same idea about what constitutes perfect time management. The final determinant is whether your relationship with time is a happy one that enables you to meet your professional obligations, enjoy the company of those you love and take good care of your most important asset — health.

But while there is no one-size-fits-all plan for managing time, there are basic principles that apply to a wide variety of circumstances.

Plan it out

Planning is the fundamental building block of time management. But it isn’t enough simply to create a great schedule; you must be able to implement it. This means being accurate about the day-to-day realities of your work and other responsibilities; allowing for the usual interruptions, crises and delays.

Family time

Try scheduling time for family, friends, exercise, special interests or special projects instead of just assigning them “whatever time is left”. Doing so will give you a chance to look closely at your present ratio of work to home and leisure time and help you restore the balance if it has been lost.

Delivery date

It’s a good idea to somewhat overestimate the time you think a job will take in order to (i) ensure on-time delivery even in the face of unforeseen delays and (ii) surprise and delight your boss, clients and family by delivering sooner than anticipated. By breaking a big task into manageable steps and setting a timetable for doing each step, you can accomplish almost anything — and with a lot less stress.

Learn to delegate

If it sometimes crosses your mind that you’re not quite as indispensable as you think, it’s time to start delegating. Start with the routine, time-consuming jobs you know someone else can do. Keep in mind that teaching someone else the ropes will take a bit of time, and allow for a reasonable learning curve. The benefits, in terms of increased time and decreased stress, will more than repay your efforts.

Make a list

Some people maintain several lists at once: a high-priority one of urgent tasks; a medium-priority one and a low-priority one of tasks it would be nice to do if and when there’s time. Other people make just one list of things to do tomorrow. One chief executive we know says he has made a promise to attend to the top three items on his list every day, come what may. “It’s better to get those three most important things done each day,” he says, “than to carry around a long list and only do a few of the less important things.”

The time factor

To make the most out of your time, try to do jobs requiring maximum concentration and peak efficiency when your attention and energy levels are highest. Likewise, try to schedule your routine, low-level tasks for times of the day when you find it hard to concentrate. The trick is to pinpoint your hours of peak performance and schedule your work accordingly.

No homework

Almost everyone ends up working late or bringing work home once in a while, but if you find yourself doing it more and more often, it may be time to start saying no. Working longer and longer hours (whether for extra pay or not) upsets the balance between work and leisure that is essential to your health and well-being. Just as serious is the negative effect it can have on your reputation.

We’re never too old to learn and incorporate new and better ways of doing things. In fact, the longer you’ve been doing a job, the more it is to your credit to devise and explore improved techniques and streamlined procedures. It’s always tempting to go on doing things the old way, just because it’s the way you’re familiar with. Finding, adapting and applying efficient new techniques to the responsibilities you carry not only saves you time but cuts down on your overall workload — and makes you look good in the process.