In this environment, even the most competent professionals may sometimes feel more like firefighters – responding to one would-be crisis after another – and finding little time to focus on their own pressing to-do list. If you sometimes feel like you’re losing the battle over your time, consider these strategies to regain control of your schedule and increase your productivity.

Engage in daily planning. Organizing your work on a daily basis is critical to completing what needs to be done and remaining in charge of your work life. Keep a prioritized list of the most pressing projects or issues that need your attention. After you’ve determined your priorities, assign a day or block of time to address each one, working through the list in order of importance.

Do one task at a time. Although time management experts encourage people to focus on one thing at a time, this runs against the norm for most professionals today. Yet, research continues to support the idea that multitasking is counterproductive. This is especially true when a project requires intense concentration, such as compiling financial data or writing an audit report. Rather than continually cycling back and forth between several ongoing projects, resolve to work on a single task for a specific period of time – even setting a timer if necessary to keep you on track.

Don’t put off big projects. People often procrastinate when it comes to large or seemingly overwhelming tasks, but the right approach is doing just the opposite. Instead of waiting to tackle these responsibilities, start working on them right away, which will make them seem less challenging. If you won’t be able to complete an initiative immediately, break it down into a series of smaller to-dos and focus on what you can at the outset.

Go with the flow. Everyone has periods in the day when they tend to be more productive and “in the zone” than others. For instance, some are in a coffee-fueled race to burn through half of their to-do list before lunch while others don’t hit their stride until the office cacophony starts to subside around 4 p.m. Make sure you’re aware of your high-energy periods, and use these time blocks to tackle your most mentally challenging (or dreaded) projects.

Protect your time. While today’s workplace requires effective collaboration, there’s no getting around the fact that one of the biggest obstacles to personal productivity is coworkers. Interruptions are going to occur – and they’re often frequent. Still, this doesn’t mean you have to succumb to every disturbance.

If you’re trying to meet a project deadline, consider taping a note to your door or cubicle letting colleagues know you’re working on something urgent but will be free after a certain time. Or, if someone comes in asking, “Do you have a minute?” don’t be reluctant to ask to defer the conversation until later if possible, after you complete your current task.

Of course, if it’s your boss who wants your immediate attention, you may want to think twice before delaying him or her. Even in those situations, however, it’s probably fine to let your manager know that you’re working on the financial analysis he or she requested and, depending on his or her priorities, you can break away now or after you’ve completed the project.

Don’t be your own worst enemy. Although colleagues are often the source of distractions, most individuals also are guilty of interrupting themselves. Consider how many times you’ve been immersed in a project only to suddenly remember that you should call your mother or check on flights for an upcoming trip. Before you know it, you’ve spent 30 minutes surfing the Internet for the best airfare. It then takes awhile to refocus on the work you temporarily set aside.

Recognize these self-imposed interruptions for what they are: a means of avoiding or procrastinating the task before you. Rather than allowing yourself to be pulled off course by other thoughts that come to mind, make a note of them and return to them later. Chances are they are not the highest priority items on your to-do list.

Exercise control over e-mail. If possible, depending on the nature of your job, establish periods when you review and respond to e-mails or other incoming messages, rather than continually pausing to check them as they arrive. Exceptions to this practice might be when a message arrives from your boss or if you’re working on a project that requires ongoing input from and interaction with others. When you do take time to process your messages, try to act on items immediately if possible. Most business contact involves information that can either be responded to quickly, filed for later reference or action, or noted and deleted.

If your company is operating with a leaner staff and you’ve assumed more work as a result, you may need to rededicate yourself to increasing your personal productivity. By adhering to proven time management principles, it’s possible to regain control of your schedule, rather than letting the work environment control you.