There’s only so much time in a day. Learning how to use it more wisely will enable you to get to more of the things you have to do, while freeing up more time for the things you want to do.

Well, that’s the theory anyways. One thing is for sure: a recent article on the OPEN Forum pulls together some of the best productivity tips from today’s business movers and shakers. Tips like:

• “Exercise – It sounds counter-intuitive. You have to spend time exercising. But, research has shown that exercise boosts cognitive function, creativity, problem solving and productivity. In fact a NASA study showed employees who exercised daily worked at 100% efficiency after 7 hours, while those who didn’t saw a 50% drop, meaning it took them twice as long to accomplish the same thing. So, exercise, in effect, creates time.”

• “Batch & Focus – Multitasking kills time. Again, sounds counter-intuitive. But, every time you switch your attention, there’s a cognitive ramp up time. It can range from a few seconds to a few minutes. So, if you constantly cycle between checking email, IM, twitter, texts, voicemail, calendars, blackberries, apps, scores, stock quotes, news, current projects and more, then respond to each, the time you lose to incessant ramp-up becomes substantial. Instead, minimize time lost to nonstop cognitive ramping by batching your time and focusing on individual categories of tasks with intense, yet discrete bursts of attention.”

Those are both from Jonathan Fields. Click through to find many more ways to free up some time in your day.