In a busy professional life, many of us only really consider our time management when we arrive at the office. What you need to consider, however, is that if your personal time management is also in need of shaping up, you're probably already late by the time you get into the office! Any good time manager knows, it's the whole day, not just the working element that can contribute to better management of your time. Therefore, here are some tips on how to divide the day up into three key areas - before you get to work, during work, and after work.

Step 1: Before you get into the office

Let's focus on the very start of the day. Even while you're still asleep, in fact. How many of us use that deadly time-waster, the snooze button? Whatever it's set to - ten, fifteen or twenty minutes, even if you pressed it once every morning (some of us more than once), then that's between 1 hr. 15 and 1 hr. 40 mins lost, kaput, gone... during the week. If you find yourself praying for an extra hour's time just to fit something in: consider cutting out the snooze. Scientists also say that the extra sleep does you little good, anyway.

Don't forget the rest of the morning on your way to work - if you drive, can do you anything else at the same time, such as listen to audiobooks or practise a presentation out loud to yourself? Naturally this is a little antisocial on public transport, but that's a better arena for getting ahead on your work emails on your mobile device on the train, or reading a report (or even making notes on it, depending how awake you are). These are all good activities because it's "dead time" - you'd be there anyway, staring out of the window. It might even mean less time in the office, and who wouldn't want that?

Step 2: During the working day

Think about the times that you have to remain physically close to or in work, but it's your time - such as travelling to a meeting (the above applies about cars and public transport) or perhaps your lunch break. We all have to eat and relax, but you could do other things that refresh you and make you more productive. Have a power nap, do something fun and social but with a benefit - if you're struggling with something at work, take a colleague out to lunch who knows the answers. Therefore you're not impinging on each other's true work time, it's a social event, yet you're still getting a benefit. Unless of course, some decide it's bad to "talk shop" when they don't have to, but these people are rare: especially if they are as dedicated and passionate about the job as you are.

Step 3: After the office

Travelling home again? Same rules apply. Don't waste the time you have. If you've left the office on time, you can expect to face rush hour - why not take a diversion? Why not car pool with someone else who's working on the same project, so that you can still exchange ideas without it feeling too much like work?

A caveat for when you get home, though. You may well want to check your emails and start reading your notes for tomorrow, but remember to give time to your family and friends. They haven't seen you all day and deserve your time, for your well-being as much as theirs. Your work time shouldn't leech into your personal time very often, and if it does: more advanced time management skills will be required. But dividing up your day is a start, and also a good way of making a good start while you're at it.