[Chrissy Scivicque]

Productivity is the buzzword of the moment. Everyone wants to get more done in less time. Now, you really can! This technique will help you collect your to-do items in an efficient way, making productivity easy.

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[Patricia]

Hi Chrissy,
I am just starting a job as an Executive Assistant, so this just might work for me to a degree, because I will have lots of projects to do and it would be better to do one job without interruptions rather than trying to do many things all at once. I will also have an assistant who will be checking all the other things that I used to do.
I found as an AA that I was at the whim of my boss. They were constantly e-mailing me or phoning me to do this or that so I would have to check my Inbox regularly because it was usually something they needed urgently. I did not have as much control about planning my day. I was "at their service" so to speak, which is the nature of the AA position. I think this is what they refer to as multi-tasking
I did however prioritize my work and put it in some kind of order. Composing letters and e-mails were number one, scheduling meeting dates and making business phone calls on behalf of my boss came next. I tried to fit in arranging for photocopying and binding next depending on the urgency of the jobs and then lastly were the administrative tasks like expense reports and cheque requisitions. Of course, if something urgent came up, these were all put on the back burner. Such is the life of an AA
Patricia
P.S. I get the luxury of writing my articles when I get home from work and start my night job of writing on my blog. I do take weekends off however and only do things fun and non-work/blog related. All work and no play is not good and that is called work, life balance

[GeeBee]

Hi Chrissy -
I have been an Executive Assistant for many years and batching is one of the best time savers I've tried. Even though you may be "at the service" of your Executive, I found that if you have your daily tasks in order and scheduled suitable times to deal with them that it becomes easier to assist the Executive when required. Most Executives I have worked with respect my time (discuss this with your Executive). They understand the need for their EA to implement organization tactics that will also positively effect the smooth running of their office and swift response to their needs.
PS to Patricia - Another time saver tip. If possible (and I know some situations can be difficult - so practice your negotiation skills) speak with your Executive about communication by phone instead of email. A buzz on the phone is a better communication tool, it is quicker for the Executive and allows you to ask questions to clarify requirements at the time of the initial call. This will allow you to complete the request efficiently and correctly the first time. When away from your desk an email may be better for the Exective (off his desk and onto yours) usually these requests are not urgent and if your Executive knows you only check your emails two or four times a day he will know and understand and send his requests accordingly. If something is urgent he can leave a "EA please see me ASAP" message on your voicemail but chances are he'll hunt you down in person anyway.

[LisaOlsen]

Another great article topic, Chrissy! I was definitely one batch short of successful early in my EA career - but midway into a high level assistant position I realized I needed to manage myself better.

Your ideas are right on. I like your term "batching" and it's really the backbone to effective multi-tasking which is a misunderstood concept at best. When I started my training and speaking business it was essential that I focus on doing some serious task batching in order to adjust to working from my home office.

There is no place for ping-pong performance for EAs or anyone who wants to feel empowered about how the resource of precious time is used.

[Patricia]

I agree with the principle of batching and can certainly see the benefits, it is just not always practical in a busy admin assistant position. At least that is what I have found in a law firm, but that may be different from other AA positions. When there is a deadline, you have to run with it and that means putting other things aside. I can certainly see batching as useful though in an EA position and definitely for a management position. It is a great way to accomplish the most with your time.

[mzimmerm]

Originally Posted by Patricia

I agree with the principle of batching and can certainly see the benefits, it is just not always practical in a busy admin assistant position. At least that is what I have found in a law firm, but that may be different from other AA positions. When there is a deadline, you have to run with it and that means putting other things aside. I can certainly see batching as useful though in an EA position and definitely for a management position. It is a great way to accomplish the most with your time.

That's interesting - I was actually thinking the opposite. As an EA, I was thinking that batching would not be feasible for me but maybe it would work for an AA who has a more regular schedule. In my office, it's nearly impossible to schedule each day because urgent projects pop up at least every hour. In addition to special projects, I am also responsible for things that require constant interruption - conference room reservations, backup switchboard receiptionist, checking out charge cards, EZPasses, etc. With all this unpredictability, using Outlook reminders is a must. I would forget to breathe if Outlook didn't tell me!

[Patricia]

Now that I am entrenched in my new EA position, I see the benefit of batching, but I still don't see it as doable. I wish I had the luxury of planning my own day, but as in my previous AA position, I don't!

An AA position can be as challenging timewise as an EA position, although there is more responsibility in an EA position. At least that is what I am finding. In both positions I am "at your service" to my boss, but then again that just might be my style.

I agree with depending on the Outlook reminders (what would we do without reminders?) and I find having a good bring-forward system is also a must.

Bottom line for me is I plan my day as best I can, but if something urgent comes up, which is regularly, you drop it and do the urgent and then get back to your previous task.