A frustrated admin recently vented on our online forum: “I’m at my wit’s end!” None of the managers was “participating” in her attempts to keep the office organized. Our advice: Start over by telling managers how a tracking system benefits them.
We heard a story recently about a woman who transformed her lunch hour. Tired of seeing miserable-looking co-workers during lunchtime, she started a “lunch club” with colleagues. Craft your own “mindful lunch” that involves being with others, walking, being outdoors and eating healthful food.
Your boss has a “hands-on” work style that demands all files stay nearby. So how do you help a boss whose office is drowning in paper? Here are tips for organizing a paper-strewn office:
Administrative professional Debbie is in search of the magic bullet that will make it easier to archive e-mail—and later find what she needs. While e-mail is a source of productivity, it can also become an out-of-control monster. Tune up your inbox with these tips:
Transferring to-dos into your calendar will help you make more strategic choices about how to spend your time. But you’re also likely to end up with a handful of to-dos that don’t fit into your calendar. What do you do with them? Use the three-day rule.
It’s not enough to do your work correctly and efficiently; you must also be sure that other members of the team or project-based work group can be trusted to finish what you started. Try using or adapting this “handoff checklist” to your work. Ask these questions of the person taking accountability for the completion of the work:
“My boss is inundated with business cards,” writes an admin reader. “Some are in Rolodexes, others are loose. But he doesn’t want to weed through and toss old ones. Any ideas on how to organize them?”
Between vague agendas and never-ending PowerPoints, meetings have become a waste of time for many. Here’s how some “experts” structure their huddles to make them productive and run smoothly:
A reader writes: “We have tasks assigned to us via e-mail, the phone, in-person, in passing, etc. I carry my notebook and keep it on my desk to jot down assignments and then transfer some tasks to Outlook, but I’m wondering if there is a better, more efficient way to keep track of everything. What are your secrets to staying organized and on top of all your assignments?”
Store scattered pieces of information in one place with these online tools: 1. Strategically store web content with Springpad. 2. Organize a batch of business cards. ScanBizCards, WorldCard Mobile or CamCard keep business cards from disappearing in a messy drawer.
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