People popping into your office with questions, a phone that rings all day, even unnecessary email messages, can be frustrating thieves of time and momentum. When you’ve got a project that requires lots of concentration, make an appointment with yourself just as you would for any other important meeting. Let your voicemail pick up your calls, close your office door, or hide out in the conference room where no one can find you. If your job requires you to spend a lot of time conferring with coworkers, establish regular “office hours” in which to do it. The same goes for returning phone calls.

When something has to be done, tackle it immediately. This, of course, is easier said than done. But the fact is you’ll perform better if you avoid caffeine-charged, all-nighters. If you’re a procrastinator, think of your project as a stalled car that needs to be pushed – it takes work to get the car going, but when it develops momentum it’s easy to keep it moving. Quit making excuses and just start pushing.

Many of us really feel that we are what we do. In that sense, we have become walking resumes, always compelled to be doing something to make ourselves feel important. Take time to recognize that you have a life beyond your career and people who value you for things you do outside of the office. Make time for that life – improve it and appreciate it.

Hundreds of studies confirm that exercise can be a potent antidote to stress. Whether a workout pumps stress-busting endorphins into the bloodstream or simply offers a relaxing time-out is anyone’s guess. But research has shown that a bout of exercise increases the brain’s alpha waves — patterns of electrical activity associated with relaxation. Not only can a single exercise session calm you down, but staying fit — exercising at least three days a week for 20 to 30 minutes per session — also makes you less prone to tension.

Television seems relaxing — many of us spend up to 40 percent of our leisure time glued to it — yet studies show people feel less relaxed and satisfied after watching TV than they did before. Watching TV crowds our waking lives, keeping us from talking with friends, enjoying our hobbies, even sleeping. Cut down on your tube time by choosing shows more carefully, recording programs and fast-forwarding through commercials. Better yet, shut the thing off and enjoy the real people and places around you.