The Professional Assistant

"Checking In" to a Better Flight

2009-07-14T05:00:00.002-04:00

You get an urgent e-mail from your boss asking you to book a flight and hotel. You search around to find the best deal (check out Travel Links on the right side of this blog for some suggestions) and book what your boss needed.

The time finally comes when your boss is flying out to that all important business trip. They forget to do their own flight check-in and don't have time, so they call you up and ask you to do it.

You scratch your head and wonder how this can be done. Some of you might already know the answer to this, but I thought that I'd give the information here anyways, since I was stumped in the beginning as well.

Here are the details you need to get your boss checked-in:

Make sure that you have a copy of the itinerary, which needs to have the reservation code.
Log into the airline carrier's website.
Find a link to be able to "check-in" for your boss' flight.
Follow the instructions.

You can only do this 24 hours prior to the departure of the flight though, so make sure you have everything ready before hand.

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

"Going Green" With Your Documents

2009-07-13T05:00:00.005-04:00

Do you recycle your unwanted papers at work? Do you try to "go green" by not printing e-mails or other documents that you could be e-mailing to others that you want to share this information with?

As you may have already heard, we have been struggling through a massive garbage strike in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We are in week 3 now and cannot get rid of our recycling. At home, I have been keeping all of our recycling in our garbage area in plastic bags, since our blue bin (which we use for recycling - for those readers who are not familiar with Toronto's waste programs) is completely full now.

Now picture this. You keep printing document after document, not realizing how many trees you are using and how much waste you are creating. Think ahead and see if you can e-mail or transfer your documents in an electronic format to others. This will save your company time and money.

And of course, there's the dreaded shredding of confidential documents. You really have to be careful with these, as pertinent company information could leak out into the wrong hands. You would either have to spend time shredding the papers yourself or hire a shredding company to do it for you. In either case, you are using your valuable time and money to get this job done.

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Retrieve Your Files With Ease

2008-11-05T05:00:00.002-05:00

Do you have quite a bit of filing to do? Do you feel that you should have some sort of control over these files on how you find them, for future reference?

Creating a filing system can be tricky, as you need to know exactly how to file your files and what type of information you would need to be able to access quickly. Your boss could ask you for something at a moment's notice and you are expected to find the information within minutes.

One of my readers asks:

I am trying to organize a file room based not on traditional alphabetical filing, but on a retrieval system. It is based on real estate issues - so, for instance, the transaction files are arranged by numbers in order of closing dates. Then, all files are set up in an excel file with columns for File #, property address, closing date, owner (whatever data important) - then sorts are run and printed so files can be referenced and found by whatever criteria you need. That makes sense, but can this system be applied to other information, like monthly bills, tax returns, staff, legal issues, normal company information?

Being able to retrieve the data is more important than an organized alphabetized file drawer.

My answer to this is:

I remember going to a walk-in clinic (doctor's office) for an ailment at the time. I gave in my health card and was asked to be seated. I looked around and noticed quite a large amount of folders, assuming that they were patient files (which they were). It was interesting to see that there were numbers on the side of them.

You can use this system for anything you like, such as monthly bills, tax returns, etc. as you mentioned in your question. You can use two different methods of creating a filing system.
You can use Microsoft Excel to add all of this information and then add the numbers from the files to your Excel spreadsheet.

You can use Microsoft Access to create a database of all of your files' criteria and the software assigns a "key" or number that corresponds with your files.
This way, you can keep track of all files in any way, shape or form.

You can find more filing tips by reading my article entitled "7 Steps to Improve Your Filing System".

Can you think of any other ways to improve this filing system? Let me know your suggestions and thoughts on this.

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Organize With Social Bookmarking!

2008-11-03T05:00:00.000-05:00

Do you find articles on this site intriguing? Do you wish that you could save them to your Favorites so that you can look at them again and again? Do you wish that you could take your Favorites with you where ever you go, even if you don't own a laptop and have access to a computer with internet access?

You may have noticed the small icon at the top and bottom of each post which states "Bookmark" and a few symbols after it. If you hover over this icon, you will notice a small drop down box. You can click on any of the particular social bookmarks to be able to save and share your Favorites with anyone you choose.

There's also the "more..." button. Click this and you will get an even larger list of free services that are offered. You can sign up and use any or as many services as you wish.

You have option to share these with anyone or everyone that's part of this service. You can even find other people that have similar interests as you and add them to your "Friends" list. This is a networking tool that I've been using for quite some time now.

You can also use these services to organize yourself by adding "tags" or keywords to the articles that you've saved. So, next time you need to look for something within your tags, click on one of them and you will find all of the articles that you've saved with that particular tag.

Here are my top picks of services that I find most useful:

So, next time you find an article on here that you are interested in saving and want to glance back quickly from anywhere in the world, click on the "Bookmark" icon and save it to one of these services.

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Tips for Office Costumes at Halloween

2008-10-31T05:00:00.002-04:00

Happy Halloween everyone!

You walk into the office and notice all of the Halloween decorations. A spider here, a goblin there. Then a bunch of co-workers show up in costumes. What a sight!

Do you like to dress up in fancy or scary costumes for this occasion? Do you want to dress up at the office, but not sure what to wear or if you even can?

This has been a tradition in our office for quite some time now, where people would decorate the office, dress up in funky costumes and bring baked treats for everyone. Luckily, in my office, we dress in casual clothes all of the time and we do have a corporate policy of being able to dress up in a costume for this event. We even hold a "Best Costume Contest" and even get a small prize, although I've never seen what the prize was.

Here are some tips you should follow before you get into the spirit:

Check to see if others will be doing the same. You don't want to end up at work and be the only one wearing a costume. Looking like a rabbit might be fun, but you don't want to be gnawing your carrot around others as they're working away.

Check with your Human Resources Department or manager to see if this falls into your corporate policy.

If you are going to wear a costume, make sure to wear something tasteful, not too scary or revealing. Remember that you are in a professional environment and have to upkeep this attitude.

Try not to wear masks as the can block your vision and cut down on productivity. Try reading what you are typing or writing through really small holes. It's nearly impossible, especially if you wear glasses.

And last of all, have fun with it! Feel proud to be a part of a great office culture!

So, any of you celebrating Halloween? Do you have any more tips to add here? What are you dressing up as? Let us know!

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Is Your Boss Not Giving You Enough Work?

2008-10-30T05:00:00.001-04:00

Do you find yourself being bored out of your mind at times with nothing to do? Do you feel that your boss could offer you more tasks, but keeps telling you that they're putting things together for you, but never do?

This, of course, is heaven to some, but like me, can't stand being bored. I always need to keep myself occupied with some sort of task, whether it be filing, updating our company's database with client information, etc. It really does make the time go by faster, especially during the slow periods, which doesn't happen too often for me. I do enjoy taking it easy at times, but still need to keep myself busy, so I don't feel like I'm going insane.

Unfortunately, one of my readers is in the same predicament as this. They write:

He doesn't have anything for me to do.

I know some might say that's a blessing, but I AM SO BORED and I feel very unproductive. I frequently tell him in different ways, "I don't have any tasks to do for you right now...." or "I don't want to be wasting your time or money, so if you have ANYTHING for me to do, I'll gladly do it."

His reply is usually, "I'm working on some things that I'll get to you soon...." and he never does. What do you think this means?

I've tried to exhaust all the possible things I could do that he doesn't ask me to do - organize emails, files, clutter, contacts, create procedures. I'm out of ideas! I know that he doesn't like the company we're working for. I think it could be a lot of things, but I would think that he would drop me if he didn't have anything for me to do!

My response to this is:

You have to look at the bright side. Quite a lot of people, especially in today's world, don't have a job, so you should feel lucky that you do have one. But on the other hand, I know exactly what you mean. Having nothing to do is such a time waster.

My suggestion to this is to be persistent. That's how I ended up getting my current job. That's how I get things done around my office, since I work for about 30 staff, which includes 5 managers. You should see my follow-up list. It's quite large. I usually follow up ever 3 business days on outstanding items.

Another thing that I can suggest is to have a meeting with your boss. Explain to him that you're in a situation where you feel unproductive and give some examples. Mention him that you are here to help in any way you can. Remind him that this is why he hired you.

I hope that this has shed some insight on getting your boss to help out by asking you to help him out.

If there are any other points you can mention, please leave a comment. Share your thoughts and suggestions on this topic!

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Free ACT! (CRM) Video Tutorials

2008-10-29T05:00:00.012-04:00

Are you using ACT! as your client relationship manager (CRM)? Did your boss just decide to install it on his/her system and yours then told you, "Read the manual, we're going to be using this from now on"?

If you’re looking to purchase ACT! for your company, click here.

This same thing happened to me as well as one of my readers. In one of my previous jobs, when I was working for an Investment Advisor, he gave me the installation CD-ROM and asked me to read up on how to use it. Believe it or not, this was quite an easy system to learn. I've never used it before, but took a few hours each day to familiarize myself with it and it was really simple to operate.

One of my readers asks:

Can you help me with ACT? My employer needs someone who is educated in this program. I've never used it. HELP!

My answer to this is:

First off, cut down on the caffeine. Just had to say that, since you seem to be in a panic. Take a deep breath and follow the instructions below.

I've found a great resource on the ACT! website, which has the following online video tutorials for some of the most frequently used functions in this software. The only thing is that you need to have earphones or speakers at your computer. It's quite comprehensive and takes you step-by-step through all of the items. Just click on any of the links below to take a look at the particular task you would like to learn about.
ACT! Workspace
Activities
Customization
Dashboard
Dashboard Designer
Finding Information
Groups & Companies
Handheld Link Installation
Importing Contacts
Mail Merge
Opportunities
Outlook Integration
Printing
Setting up E-mail
Setup Assistant
Sharing Databases
Synchronizing
Writing a Letter

So check out these tutorials and let us know how you've managed with them. I am sure that this will beef up your productivity with the system.

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Do You Have A Question For Me?

2008-10-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

Do you have a question? Do you feel that you need help one something related to your career? Do you want to ask something, but feel shy to do so?

I have been running this blog for just over a year now and it has grown quite a bit, as you can tell. People have been asking me questions from time to time and I try to respond as quickly as I can to all of them.

There are over 200 articles of information so far and growing. I am sure that you will find what you are looking for on here or even just something to read at your leisure. If there's something you can't find, don't hesitate to contact me by e-mail here or click on the Submit A Question link at the top of this page.

If you feel that you want to remain anonymous, please note that I never disclose any personal information such as your name, company, etc., unless you specify that you would like me to.

So send me your questions, comments, suggestions, beefs - whatever it is, send them to me and I will try to answer them as best as I can.

If you're interested in reading what other questions were submitted by readers, check out the sidebar for the last 5 questions submitted.

And as the bottom of most letters state, "I look forward to your reply".

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Office Gossip is on the Rise

2008-10-24T05:00:00.001-04:00

Do you gossip at work? Do you find that you shouldn't get involved? Do you feel that your colleagues are jumping on the rumor bandwagon?

Many of us have been in this situation and usually, the outcome is not pretty. A study was conducted in the US regarding the rise of office gossip, due to the fact that the US economy has been slowly going into a recession. I am sure that this is similar to companies all over the world, as many of the world's stock markets have been declining and people are getting laid off due to this fact.

Office gossip usually isn't a good idea, as people can get the wrong information and not getting the correct facts. There are times when the facts are correct, but people really should keep information to themselves, just as stock traders wouldn't use insider information for personal or client gain.

If you feel that you are in a situation where your company is on the decline, check out The JobBored for more information on how you can combat this issue. This blog has quite a large number of articles and resources on dealing with job issues.

If you're interested in further readings on office gossip, check out more articles here.

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Productivity Boost: Do It Before Lunch!

2008-10-23T05:00:00.000-04:00

Do you find that you feel tired at the end of the day? Do you wish that you could be more productive and solve your problems through out the day?

This happens to all of us, quite a bit of time throughout each and every day. Trying to tackle a task at 4:30 pm usually isn't a good option for most of us, since you are ready to call it quits at 5:00 pm, especially on a Friday, since your mind is already in weekend mode.

A survey conducted in Britain states that solving your problems and being most productive happens before noon. 10:04 am is actually the time that you are most productive. 4:33 pm is the least productive time of your entire work day.

If you're looking for more ways to be productive, take a look at my large library of articles on productivity. The latest one "Boost Productivity: Take A Break From Your Work!" will do you wonders as well.

So the next time your boss asks you to do something around 4:30 pm, let them know that you will try to get it done quickly, but it not be your best work, as this article states.

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Looking for Great Deals For Your Office?

2008-10-21T05:00:00.005-04:00

Are you the person that purchases stationary and other items for your department? Do you feel that you could find better buys, not just by going to the different stores such as Staples or Grand & Toy, but online as well?

There are some companies that, unfortunately, don’t allow for purchases such as stationary, fax machines, toner, etc. to be obtained from outside sources, other than the specified and approved vendors that have been set up. Since I work for a large corporation, this is my case as well.

But there are firms that allow for bargain hunting, such as small and medium sized businesses – even large corporations (but rarely). If this is your case, read on.

You can bargain hunt until the cows come home, but trying to find the best deals can be quite time consuming and irritating. One place that I’ve found to be a great area to research items on is eBay (which I am sure you have heard of).

You can get great deals, compare items and even get great prices, all in one site. There are penny deals all the time, where auctions start off at just one cent. If you prefer to buy items right away, you can search for them via the Buy It Now option. You can even get new items, if you aren’t into used items or feel that they might not work as well.

If you’re interested in saving money and boosting your department’s productivity with some of these great items, take a gander at eBay and see what office items you can find for your department today! You can find thousands of eBay office items by clicking here.

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Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Kallout To Research Information

2008-10-20T05:00:00.002-04:00

You’re reading an article for some research that you are doing for our boss. You come across a piece of text that you are unfamiliar with. Your next step would be to Google it or hop onto Wikipedia to find out more information by opening your internet browser.

You actually cut down on your productivity by having to open a new browser window. It might even keep you reading information in the browser, instead of focusing on your original task.

There is a more productive method that you can use to conduct your research. There is a new service called Kallout. In a nut shell, you download the free software, install it and it’s always running in the background. You have to be connected to the internet to use this service though.

At this point, you need to highlight the particular word or phrase and then a small blue symbol will appear on the right side of the highlighted text.

Click on this and you will have the option to do the research right within application that you are using, such as Microsoft Word or Internet Explorer.

There’s quite a list of services that Kallout offers, such as search, reference, shopping, news, etc. Use any or all of these research options to your advantage.

The great part about Kallout is that a small window pops up within the application you’re currently using. This will cut down on having to switch between applications and increase your productivity.

So the next time your boss asks you to do some research and you get stuck at some point, make sure to use Kallout for your research needs. Also, make sure to tell your colleagues about this great service to improve your department’s overall productivity.

You can also read my article on How to Search Within a Company Website here, if you are diong research in this area.

What services do you use for your research? Which one do you find most comprehensive?

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Elevator Etiquette 101: Going Up?

2008-10-17T05:00:00.001-04:00

You’re standing in the elevator and everyone is crammed like a can of sardines. You reminisce about that Seinfeld episode where Elaine gets stuck on the subway and starts talking to herself about how the train isn’t moving and starts to get claustrophobic.

You start to feel the same way and wonder when your floor will hit next. You start to notice a particular smell, yet you know it wasn’t you, but you wonder if everyone thinks that it was.

This happens to everyone from time to time and there are ways to avoid them (at times). The simplest way to avoid this is to take the stairs. This, of course, can be a nightmare, since you could be walking up many flights. The other way is to get off on a lower floor and either walk the difference, which can be great for your health (read my post on Walk Into A Better Life for more tips) or wait for the next ride.

If you end up standing right near the buttons, people expect you to be the conductor. Remember in the good old days when people use to work as elevator operators? This is you now! Look at it this way – you can help others to where they need to go. Put a smile on people’s faces and spread the courtesy.

If you see a person running towards the elevator, make sure to hold the door open for them. I’m sure they would do the same for you.

If you don’t want to hold the door for whatever reason, try not to look at the person. Having earphones with you will help even more, since this will let you become “deaf” for a few seconds, even if you are just wearing them.

If you notice that a courier or someone with a large freight want to get in the elevator or is already there when you’re getting on, make sure to move to either side wall, so they can get out easily. Most of the time, they tend to stand in the middle of the elevator, for easier access to exit.

If you have a cold, make sure to cover your mouth and nose, even if you don’t have a tissue. No one wants you to report the weather. That’s what The Weather Network is for.

So the next time you get in an elevator, keep these points in mind. You will make your day and everyone else’s a better one.

Can you think of any more etiquette related items while riding the elevator? Please share your stories and experiences with the rest of us.

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Need To Create a PDF? Don't Have the Software? Don't Panic!

2008-10-15T05:00:00.004-04:00

You receive an e-mail from your manager. Your manager asks you to create a report of some sort and wants you to send it to a client, but making sure that they cannot manipulate the information.

The only problem is that you don’t have Adobe Acrobat to create PDFs with and need this done quickly and properly.

There is a simple way of getting this type of report to anyone without having to use Adobe Acrobat. If you are interested in purchasing a copy, you can find Adobe Acrobat products here. Please keep in mind that this is not Acrobat Reader (can be downloaded here), which is free and is only used to view PDFs.

Also, keep in mind that you don’t want anyone to alter the information in your report. There are other ways to implement this, depending on the software that you are using, but let’s keep this simple for now.

All you need to do is go through your regular print routine with the following steps:

Click File, Print or CTRL-P as the keyboard shortcut.
Now select Microsoft Office Document Image Writer.

This will enable you to create a PDF-like file where no one can manipulate information. This is especially great for contracts if you are not willing or don’t have a copy of Adobe Acrobat.

Now you can e-mail the report to the client without any problems.

So the next time you need to get something printed quickly and in read-only mode, use this simple method and expand your productivity. Your manager will be surprised that you thought of this!

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Macros: Shortcuts To Productivity With Microsoft Word

2008-10-13T05:00:00.004-04:00

Do you know what a macro is? Do you know how to create them? Do you wish that your life could be a little more productive and be able to use a few shortcuts to get through your tasks?

Macros have been around for quite some time now and range between easy to very difficult. In a nut shell, macros are recorded items or programming code that enables you to either click on the particular macro that was recorded to do a number of steps for you, instead of you having to do it. I will explain this later.

The more difficult macros are the ones that are programming code related and require knowledge of Visual Basic (you can find some books here), which unfortunately, I have no training in. I am going to show you how to record a simple macro function and to implement it.

One of my readers asks:

With Word 2007, is it possible to create a “cliff notes” version of a document using the Styles function or Macros?

My answer to this is:

Unfortunately, I use Microsoft Word 2003 (XP), so I am not sure if this will help you, but I assume that the functions in Microsoft Word 2007 should be the same or at least similar, especially for this function.

Here are the 7 steps to creating a “cliff notes” version of your document:

Cut the piece of text that you would like to remove from your document. Make sure that you cut this, not delete it. You will need in a short while.

Click on Tools, Macro, Record New Macro…

Type in the name of the macro and a description for it, so that others know what this is used for. You can also add this macro to your toolbar or assign a keyboard shortcut by clicking on the buttons below and following the instructions.

You now can paste the particular parts of text back into your document. If you need to cut pieces here and there, use the clipboard function or open another Microsoft Word document to place text into.

Click on the Stop button shown below.

At this point, your macro has been saved. Make sure that you are in the document that you’ve changed. Click on either the toolbar icon that you created, the keyboard shortcut or click Tools, Macro, and Macros…, then click run.

All the deleted text should now show up automatically.

You can create as many macros as you wish, but remember that macros can attract viruses, so be careful when you open documents that contain macros. You can also read some more articles on System Security here.

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Power Up Your PowerPoint With Templates!

2008-10-10T05:00:00.004-04:00

Do you want to change the way your Microsoft PowerPoint templates look? Do you feel that you could do a better job on these templates than what you have currently?

There is a great and simple way to add a new look to your templates in PowerPoint. Here are the 4 steps to do this:

Click on the particular template(s) that you want to change.
Click on the Design button shown below.

On the right hand side of your screen, you will notice a large list of templates. At the bottom of this list, you will also find a template where you can click to get even more templates via Microsoft's site.

Click on the particular template that you want to use and voila! Presto change-o!

Now you can show your boss your creative side.

Unfortunately, with my company, we have a standard template that we use and can't change it. Hopefully you work at a firm where you can play around with this creative idea and even if you don't, see if you can persuade the person in charge of this area to make your current template more intriguing.

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Who Called? Use A Phone Call Log!

2008-10-09T05:00:00.004-04:00

Do you find that when you receive phone calls or voice mail messages, you can't remember who called, what time they called, who they were trying to call, etc? Do you wish that you could be able to track calls and make sure that you have all of the details in place?

This happens to everyone from time to time. In my case, I am lucky, since I only have to track calls for myself and use my daily journal or agenda (call it what you will) to make notes. I also use it for meetings at work and personal errands, but that's another story.

I used to track calls for one of my past employers, when I used to work at a securities firm as an Investment Advisor Assistant. The way I would do it is that I would create a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for the month. I say month, since I would create a sheet for each week, having the "from" and "to" dates in the sheet name.

Then I would create worksheets within each sheet with headings such as:

Name

Time of Call

Reason for Call

If you work for more than one manager or you need to track calls for more than one person, you might want to create a heading that states something like "Person Receiving Call" or something along the lines of this.

Remember to create a filename for each year, so you can keep yourself organized. Also, remember to archive these files, just in case you need to go back and check who called when for what reason. You can purge the files as needed, depending on your company's situation and/or policy.

So try creating a spreadsheet yourself and let me know how it works out for you. If you think of anything else you could add to this, please share with the rest of the readers here.

If you're looking for a business phone system, check out the PBXs that are currently on the market.

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Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Break The Routine, Inspire Yourself!

2008-10-08T05:00:00.001-04:00

Are you the type of person that comes into the office each and every day, thinking that it's just going to be another boring day, nothing changes and it's always the same thing day in and day out? Do you feel sluggish in the mornings and would like to lift up your spirits, without having to use a caffeine boost (well, some people feel they need this and you can read a post on this as well here)?

You drudge into the office and plop yourself at your computer. You check your e-mails, you do your filing. It’s always the same thing. You can change this by having inspirational items around your cubicle (you can also read more on decorating your cubicle here).

Simple inspirational things such as a picture of someone or something that helps you get through the day. I have a picture of my wife at my desk, a fake plant (since not much sunlight get to that particular area of the desk) and a ceramic frog. As you can tell, I really try to be in tune with nature and of course, love my wife. This really does help me get through those rough days - but there are great days as well, of course.

Another thing that helps people to get motivated is by writing some sort of mantra on a piece of paper or printing it out. Stick it to the wall of your cubicle, but make sure that it's sitting right in front of you. This way, when you sit down, you can read it each and every day.

For example, if you want to make a million dollars before you die, write out exactly what you want and how you will achieve this. Keep it short and simple though. Each and every day will pass and you will get closer and closer to your goal.

Of course, it doesn't have to be money. It could be anything, such as getting that promotion, helping others more, etc. I'm sure you get the idea.

What's next? Subscribe to The Professional Assistant feeds or get posts e-mailed directly to you today.

Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

"Stop Watch"ing Your Productivity

2008-10-07T05:00:00.000-04:00

Do you multi-task too much? Did you know that multi-tasking can hinder your performance rather than help you get your work completed faster?

I am sure that you have fallen into the trap of where it’s either really quiet and you are twiddling your thumbs, trying to figure out what to do with your time. And of course, there’s the opposite side of the spectrum, where you have way too many people coming to you with requests (read my post on how to handle this here) and just want to run away.

In order to get your tasks completed on time and in a proficient manner, there is a little trick that I use to make sure that I only focus on one project at a time and give it my undivided attention (when I possibly can). Having a timer at your desk can be a great tool. But of course, you don’t want to disturb others around you with the bell going off or some even have chickens clucking as the alarm.

To avoid this, try using an online timer instead. Virtual Stopwatch gives you the option to set a predetermined amount of time. For example, you want to spend one hour on a particular project. Set up the preferences for yourself for one hour and click start. When the hour has passed, a pop up window will show telling you that your time is up. This way, you will only have to focus on your project for that particular amount of time and not have to worry about other projects falling behind.

Give it a try and let me know how it’s been working for you. This should help your productivity not just at work but at home as well.

What's next? Subscribe to The Professional Assistant feeds or get posts e-mailed directly to you today.

Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Boost Productivity: Take A Break From Your Work!

2008-10-06T05:00:00.006-04:00

Do you find yourself working away throughout the day and checking personal e-mails, logging on to your bank account to make sure everything's in order or checking your Facebook account to see if anything new happened? Do you feel that you are doing something wrong during work time?

A New Zealand-based network security consulting firm Voco ran a study where busy workers would do this type of activity during work hours. They concluded that 25% of that time is used for this type of activity. Also, 80% of e-mails sent from work were at the personal level. This means lost productivity for your company.

Believe me, everyone's done this. Of course, you really should do this during your breaks and lunch time, since that's what they're there for. But there are times when you just need to take a break and get away from it all. Think of it as a mini-vacation from your work.

Think of it this way. You are working away and you feel that you are getting things done quite quickly. You start to feel tired, but want to keep going. If you take a small break either at or away from your desk, just for a few minutes, your productivity can boost much faster, rather than continuing to work.

Refocusing your mind to something different helps you get out of "the zone" type of mentality and wakes up your brain. When you have been working on something for hours, you get into this trance and your brain goes into hibernation.

So, the next time you feel like a few minutes away from your desk, remember that you will be more productive if you do, rather than continuing with what you are doing.

What's next? Subscribe to The Professional Assistant feeds or get posts e-mailed directly to you today.

Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

"Monitor" Your Productivity & Increase It By 50%

2008-10-03T05:00:00.003-04:00

Do you find that you could increase your productivity at work? Do you want to share this secret with your boss? Of course you do, who wouldn’t want to. Everyone’s looking to get ahead and better themselves and help others, especially in our profession.

One of my managers already does this and some managers from my past jobs have also done it. It can increase your productivity by 50%. The only downfall is that it might cost your company a little bit of money.

What I’m referring to is setting up a second monitor beside your current one. You might not have the space for it, but most cubicles these days are quite large. Your manager, on the other hand, probably has the room, since he/she has an office and most likely even uses a laptop (find Laptops here).

All you would have to do is set up a second monitor beside their laptop stand, which you can find here. Make sure that your system also has a dual-output video card, which you can find here. If you prefer, you can purchase an extra video card instead, but make sure that it has similar specifications as your old one, since you don’t want one to lag behind the other.

At this point, you would have to follow the instructions that come with your software to figure out how to set up a “dual view” image. This means to have two separate images on two different monitors. You may have a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet on one and a Microsoft Word document on another. At this point, you can look at one screen then type on the other; just like if you had a piece of paper in front of you with your monitor running.

What's next? Subscribe to The Professional Assistant feeds or get posts e-mailed directly to you today.

Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Contest: Best Stress Tips - Win $1500

2008-10-02T05:00:00.008-04:00

Do you feel stressed at work? Do you feel that you need to relieve yourself of daily stressors whenever you have the time (which I'm sure isn't too often)?

People get stressed all of the time. I do too, so don't feel that you are alone. Getting rid of stress in your life can make you more productive, keep you healthy and even keep you sane. Read my post on the difference between good and bad stress.

On a lighter note, would you like to win $1500 and a year's supply of gum? Eclipse gum is offering employees this and all you need to do is submit your best stress relief tip and how chewing gum helps you get rid of the bad stuff at work. Simply log onto their site at http://www.wrigleygumisgood.com/ and follow the instructions. No purchase is necessary to enter, so why not try your luck!

Now think of it this way. You win the $1500 and the year's supply of gum. You feel less stressed, since you can use this money to help yourself in any way to get rid of some stress!

Let the rest of us know what you've posted and help others get some relief as well!

What's next? Subscribe to The Professional Assistant feeds or get posts e-mailed directly to you today.

Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Manual Vs. Electronic: The Calendar Dilema

2008-10-01T05:00:00.016-04:00

Does your boss refuse to use Microsoft Outlook? Does he/she prefer to use the paper-based agendas, whether it is the one time use ones or the ones that take refills? Do you find that they would be better off using a Blackberry, since it synchronizes in real time?

I've worked with a manager in one of my past jobs where he would refuse to use Microsoft Outlook, even if his life depended on it. He actually asked me to have a calendar for him as well as for myself, so that we could co-ordinate the two "manual" calendars.

Of course, you could imagine the disasters that happened, since the majority of the time, he would "forget" to let me know of any updates that happened. You want to avoid this at all costs.

One of my readers asks:

I have a boss who refuses to use Outlook. He keeps a "manual" calendar, like in the "old days". He hates computers. How can I effectively manage his manual calendar that changes constantly and keep him informed on a daily basis of his schedule?

My answer to this reader is:

Well, you can try to show him the benefits of having Microsoft Outlook and/or a Blackberry. If that doesn't work, you have to explain to him that there are going to be "hiccups", since the flow of information might be like a broken telephone. There might be times where he would "forget" to let you know of changes, just like my old boss did.

The other option is to have Microsoft Outlook running on your computer and create a calendar just for your manager. This will cut down on mistakes. If you don't use your own calendar for your own use, then use it for your manager's appointments instead. Then you can always transfer information between your calendar and his. This would, at least, cut down on the errors that could happen, since electronic versions are much more reliable.

To add a new calendar to your Microsoft Outlook:

Right click inside the "My Calendars" area.

Click "New Folder".

Now type the name of the calendar that you want to use for your manager. My suggestion would be to use your manager's name.

Notice that the new calendar is now active.

Another tip is to make sure that your boss understands what's at stake and to have open communication with you at all times. Even if it means that he has to call you and leave you voice mail messages with updates. If he uses e-mail, which I assume that he doesn't, since he hates computers, he could also e-mail you any updates.

The point is to keep the lines of communication open. Fewer errors will occur as more of this happens.

Do you have any other suggestions on how this could be dealt with? I am curious to see what you come up with.

What's next? Subscribe to The Professional Assistant feeds or get posts e-mailed directly to you today.

Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

Get Rid of Junk Faxes & Telemarketers - For Good!

2008-09-30T05:00:00.012-04:00

Do you receive junk mail, junk faxes and the occasional irritating phone call from telemarketers? Do you even receive voice mails that are left by people trying to sell you something, but you didn’t even hear the phone ring?

This happens to everyone, all the time. I get tons of junk faxes and mail at work each and every day. This hurts your productivity and consumes quite a bit of time each and every day. Imagine how much time you spend sifting through all of this rubbish?

There is help for everyone out there, especially in Canada. The US has had this in place for a number of years now, but Canada’s turn has finally come. What I am talking about is the National Do Not Call List.

Starting September 30, 2008, you can register all of your numbers with them. This will help cut down on the annoyances for good. You can even register your cell phone and your manager's cell phone as well. Imagine how happy he/she will be when you tell them this.

Keep in mind that it telemarketers have 31 days to take you off of their list and you have to re-register your numbers every three years, but it’s worth the small effort. If they try to call you, they can be fined up to $15,000.00.

You can find the National Do Not Call Registry for the US here. Heck, you might have staff from both countries, so why not register all of your numbers with them right now.

What's next? Subscribe to The Professional Assistant feeds or get posts e-mailed directly to you today.

Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips

The "Whole" Truth About E-mails: An Experiment

2008-09-29T05:00:00.003-04:00

Do you find that you lie more in e-mails rather than passing a sticky note to someone or hand writing a letter to a colleague? I know, I know, who writes hand written letters these days?

A study conducted by researchers from Lehigh, Rutgers and DePaul with 48 participants. They were given a sum of money. Then they were asked to divide it equally between themselves and a fictional person in a remote location. The researchers stated that:

Students using e-mail lied more than 92 percent of the time, while those using pen-and-paper lied slightly less than 64 percent. The rate of lying was almost 50 percent greater among those using e-mail than with those using pen-and-paper.

This was interesting as you start to wonder what your co-workers and manager(s) are really telling you. Are they telling you the truth or just part of it? Of course, you can never tell, since only body language can really tell if a person is lying or not. Even then, you have to be quite observant to figure it out.

This made me wonder, why would people lie more on e-mails rather than pen and paper? No one can explain this, but researchers have this theory:

But in trying to account for the difference between two communication modes that appear similar, the researchers surmise in their report that people may "feel written documents carry stronger legal consequences than do e-mails, which feel fleeting in nature, despite the fact that they are actually harder to erase or contain.

So next time you receive an e-mail from someone, ask yourself whether they are telling you the whole truth and nothing but the truth or only part of it. Unfortunately, most of the time, you will never really know.

What's next? Subscribe to The Professional Assistant feeds or get posts e-mailed directly to you today.

Until next time,

Take care - of your clutter!

Post from: Administrative Assistant Tips