As an administrative assistant, you have to juggle multiple tasks, projects, and deadlines every day. How do you keep track of everything and deliver on time? In this article, we'll share some tips and tools that can help you manage your time, prioritize your work, and stay on top of your deadlines.
A calendar app is a must-have for any administrative assistant. It allows you to schedule your appointments, meetings, reminders, and deadlines in one place. You can also sync your calendar with other apps, such as your email, task manager, or CRM, to streamline your workflow and avoid double-booking. Some popular calendar apps are Google Calendar, Outlook, and Calendly.
SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These are the criteria that can help you set realistic and clear goals for your work. By using SMART goals, you can break down your projects into manageable steps, track your progress, and adjust your plans as needed. For example, instead of saying "I will finish the report by Friday", you can say "I will write 10 pages of the report by Wednesday and review and edit it by Friday".
SMART is a great way to break down tasks, to get you going on them and get them done. I use Outlook's To-Do list and with this you can add extra steps to a task to help break it down into manageable chunks. It's always easier to manage things when they are smaller and you can see and end to the task too. Keep on track with the small steps and see those tasks being ticked off the list.
A to-do list is a simple but effective way to organize your tasks and deadlines. You can use a paper notebook, a spreadsheet, or an app to create your to-do list. The key is to update it regularly and prioritize the most important and urgent tasks. You can also use the Eisenhower matrix to categorize your tasks into four quadrants: do, delegate, schedule, or eliminate.
An office I worked in had a Monday morning meeting where workload was discussed and distributed. As the only dedicated admin in the team, I was often given tasks that had cropped up over the weekend as my directors had time to think and plan for the company. I started a second to-do list in which I would put all low priority tasks, background things that weren't urgent but still needed doing at some point. That way, when I had a lull in my priority work, I'd refer back to it and pick up a project to work on. My boss found it helpful to get these tasks off her mind and knew she could check the progress at any time on the software. My daily list is always on paper, I highlight / number by urgency and I just love checking things off!
I have my own to do list, written down and I also have a to-do list for each of the partners that I work for, that I email to them regularly. Once a task has been completed, I update the to-do list and send them a fresh one. The most urgent tasks are at the top of the list.
To create a to-do list, start by writing down all the tasks you need to do. Then, prioritize them based on their importance and urgency. You can use symbols or numbers to mark the priority level of each task. Additionally, you can use different categories or labels to organize your tasks. For example, you can have separate sections for work-related tasks, personal tasks, and other categories that apply to you. Once you have your tasks listed and prioritized, consider setting deadlines for each task. This will help you stay organized and ensure that you complete your tasks on time.This will give you a sense of progress and accomplishment.
A timer or a pomodoro technique can help you focus on your work and avoid distractions. A timer is a device or an app that counts down a set amount of time for you to work on a task. A pomodoro technique is a method that divides your work into 25-minute intervals, followed by 5-minute breaks. You can use either of these tools to boost your productivity, motivation, and concentration.
I find using the Pomodoro technique really useful. Sometimes I have task overwhelm, where I've got everything in my list but just don't know where to start or how to get into gear to get going. I use pomofocus.io which is a free Pomodoro timer. Add some tasks to its list, choose one to work on and then get focusing on it for 25 minutes. Have a break. Repeat. I find it breaks any task freeze you might have when you have too much to do. ??
Communication and collaboration are essential skills for any administrative assistant. You need to communicate clearly and regularly with your boss, colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. You also need to collaborate with others to share information, feedback, and resources. You can use various tools, such as email, phone, chat, video conferencing, or project management software, to communicate and collaborate effectively.
Communication really is key! It's a cliché for a reason. When the people I work for give me a list of things that they need me to take care of, especially when that list exceeds my working hours for that day, I always follow up by asking which of those tasks they would like me to prioritise. They may have had twenty things on their mind but fifteen of those might be background tasks that I can fill my time with whenever I have space. Asking that one question has really helped me manage my time, focus my resources on the urgent tasks, and manage expectations of those around me. It's only a small thing but it has improved my working practices enormously.
At the end of each day, week, or month, you should review and reflect on your work and deadlines. This can help you evaluate your performance, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and learn from your mistakes and successes. You can also use this time to celebrate your achievements, reward yourself, and plan for the next period.