For years we’ve heard that time management is about quadrants, action items, and prioritizing tasks. In fact, go to just about time management seminar, and the trainer will spend lots of time showing you how to analyze your calendar, log your time spent in activities, plan your workweek, etc.

And at such a seminar you’ll likely realize that you do indeed spend too much time on e-mail, on the phone, and on urgent activities (fire fighting). So you’ll plan your calendar better, define your activities in quadrants, and prioritize your workload. But then the trainer leaves, and within a week you fall right back into your place on the treadmill.

Why does this happen? Because no matter what your actual job is, you likely tend to do those things that you think your boss expects you to do. So even though an important part of your job may be to write business plans, you know that your boss also expects you to answer her emails within 15 minutes or to be available on Instant Messenger.

Your boss expects you to pick up the phone when needed and to help senior management deal with those last minute emergencies. Very often, these expectations come before the important tasks you need to do. And while communication and helping senior management is important, if you’re truly going to have the time to spend on tasks that move the company forward, then you’re going to need to gain more power over your schedule and apply it to your day.

Rather than reel with interruption after interruption, you need to have a conversation with your boss about the various activities you are expected to do. The purpose of this dialogue is for both of you to reach agreement on what success is. Then, you must constantly manage expectations.