Between memos flooding your Treo to bills delivered to your door, it's next to impossible to keep up with it all. To ensure I make all my monthly payments on time, I stash all my bills in an orange pouch loaded with stamps that I carry in my handbag. Twice a month I go through it and pay all the bills inside. As for electronic mail, I try to deal with the message immediately after I open it: I reply (when it's warranted), then I delete or file. That way, my inbox doesn't runneth over.

My practice of immediately responding works for thank-you notes, too. The moment I get a gift—even as I am opening it!—I start channeling my enthusiasm into a heartfelt greeting. It helps ensure it gets done, and I find I'm better able to share my true sentiments when I've just unwrapped a present.

When it comes to sending birthday cards, I've just adopted a tip from SELF reader Stephanie DuVall of Waterloo, Illinois, who says, "Whenever I have a slot of time to write birthday/anniversary/special-occasion cards, I do a bunch. I address and seal them, but in the stamp space, I write the date of the event. No more belated cards for me!" Genius!

How do you save time doing everyday tasks? Share your brilliant tips and get inspired by other readers' ideas by checking out Self.com's Make Time for You One-Month Makeover.

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