Tried time-blocking for efficiency?
If it seems like your daily to-do list never gets completed, you may want to try a new approach: Ditching the list of tasks that have no set time limit and trying time-blocking instead.
1-Minute Strategies: August ’17
Emails = productivity … The truth about pencils … The Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship … What do the 10 most popular American luxury cars have in common? … Why is the Pentagon a pentagon?
Wisdom from Admin Pro Forum 2017
Between the training sessions on everything from Excel to event management, attendees to June’s Admin Pro Forum 2017 in Orlando were privy to panel sessions and roundtables featuring plenty of real-time advice from the conference’s featured speakers. Here’s a sampling.
When the boss has a lousy memory
Q: “In an effort to attract new customers, the small shop where I work recently created a Facebook page. During weekly staff meetings, our manager has the whole team brainstorm Facebook ideas, then authorizes me to make the changes. Before I post an update, I always talk with her to be sure I have it right. Recently though, a co-worker informed me that our manager feels I’m not keeping her up to date regarding the information on Facebook. Apparently, she doesn’t remember our discussions. Should I start sending her a confirming email after every conversation?”
How good a speller are you?
Go to merriam-webster.com/word-games/spell-it to test your spelling ability. You’ll get 10 words that you’ll hear sounded out and used in a sentence. You’ll have 15 seconds for each word, but the faster you answer, the higher your score. You can then see how you rank among others.
5 strategies to outsmart your stressors
Eliminating all sources of stress in our lives is never going to happen, but minimizing their effect is a completely attainable goal. Psychologist and PsyBlog blogger Jeremy Dean offers research-based tips on how to manage the stress in your life.
Know how to handle a know-it-all
In a professional setting, know-it-alls can undermine office morale, along with your credibility. That’s why you need to deal with them effectively.
7 secrets to becoming an office star
In any office situation, it quickly becomes clear that there are three groups of people: the “office stars,” who are capable and liked by almost everyone; the “coasters,” whose goal is to get away with as little work as possible; and the “lacklusters,” the people who fade into the woodwork.
Leave my job or stay? Leave, stay, leave, stay … help!
Q: “I’m having trouble deciding whether to change jobs. For a number of years, I have worked for a small local company. After looking for other opportunities, I have finally found a position that interests me. This job would provide a better compensation package and more career potential, but the downside is that I would have to travel 30% of the time. I’m hesitant about leaving my current job, but I also think a change might be healthy. My crystal ball just isn’t working, so I would welcome any suggestions.”
How do you train yourself to say ‘No’?
Question: “I think I’m in need of some sort of training that will teach me to turn down tasks and projects that gobble up too much time, or that I just don’t want to get involved in. I fear that as an admin for 15 years, I’ve been conditioned to say ‘Yes’ to whatever comes my way. Has anyone out there made a conscious effort to break from the agree-then-regret trap? How did you go about it?” – Monica, Email Marketing Account Coordinator