When setting aside time to work on a task I often underestimate the time it takes. This can be very frustrating and can cause stress. It can also cause deliverables to suffer and affect productivity, customer service and teamwork.

To rectify this problem when planning time to do something apply this rule. If you are planning to take an hour to do a task that you have done before or have done something similar, multiply the time you estimate by 1.25. So, if you plan to spend an hour on something then allocate 75 minutes.

If you are working on something new and you estimate an hour then multiply that by 1.5, so allow 90 minutes.

The best that can happen is you finish early and have time to work on something else. But usually, we underestimate the time it takes as there are always interruptions and distractions that can throw us off track.