Does it seem like time slips through your employees’ fingers? When you pass their desks as quitting time draws near and sneak a peek at their work, does it seem like they’ve made little progress since you passed their desks that morning? Kathleen Alessandro, president of the consulting firm Energized Solutions, in Dearborn, Michigan, knows from experience how workday life’s little interruptions can eat away an employee’s time. She suggests these two tips to help your team members get their projects finished, off their desks, and into your in-box.

1. Have them conquer the most urgent tasks during the first 20 percent of their day. That usually amounts to about 96 minutes. By then, they’ll have made solid progress even if time wasters manage to creep in.
2. Have them focus on one task at a time and do it right. Multitasking can lead to mistakes that’ll eat up the time your employees hoped to save. The double-duty routine works best for no-brainers like walking the dog while exercising.

You’ve got the idea. Now then, everybody get back to work!