Five simple ways to achieve harmony

- One to-do list is not enough
Your calendar is the place for time-critical matters. Everything else should go into to-do lists. Actions that are not related to projects should be grouped into contexts such as 'at home', 'at computer', 'telephone calls' and so on. This ensures that, whenever you have a spare moment in any particular context, you can get to work on the 'next action'. David Allen, author of Getting Things Done also recommends a 'waiting for' list, where commitments made to you by others are recorded.

- Learn to leverage your software
Most staff learn the nuances of corporate systems on the job and even where training programmes exist they often ignore features of software that can make a huge difference to productivity. For example, opening e-mails manually rather than letting your system announce their arrival will improve concentration.

- Introduce new staff to your personal techniques
"When someone joins your team, take them to lunch on day one and explain the little procedures you follow to help keep friction to a minimum," says Merlin Mann of 43folders.com (a family of websites about stuff like personal productivity, life hacks, and simple ways to make your life a little better). "How do you use e-mail? How late can you be reached outside office hours? When is it OK and not OK to come over to your desk with a problem? Asking for uniformity in the way staff use subject lines in e-mails can be hugely helpful, but it's something they may not learn for 10 years on the job unless you tell them."

- Roll out good techniques by example
If you make one person more productive, their colleagues will want to improve. "The issue is not who is using what system, but who is keeping their commitments," says Allen.

- Create a 'tickler file' for reminders
Take 43 folders and label them one to 31 and the months of the year. Now, whenever you find something in your in-tray that requires your attention in the near future slip it into the folder that corresponds to the relevant date. Checking today's folder gives you a physical reminder of what needs doing.