For many administrative professionals, a typical day is busy and filled with a variety of projects. To help you stay on task, it is helpful to create an admin toolkit that contains items you use frequently. When you have the most important tools for assistants close at hand, you can increase productivity and reduce wasted time.
For many administrative professionals, scheduling and communication are key responsibilities. To help you stay on top of text messages, emails, and calendar updates wherever you are, one of the most important items for your admin toolkit is a smartphone. With a smartphone, you can add new items to the office calendar as they come in without heading back to your desk. The phone will also enable you to respond quickly to urgent emails, record voice memos, and set reminders.
If you need to take notes or provide project feedback during the course of a typical day, your admin toolkit should also contain a tablet computer with an attached keyboard. Tablets make it easy to take notes quickly and efficiently. You can email notes to the team immediately or file them in the appropriate location. If your company uses online project management software, a cellular data-enabled tablet will allow you to view it in a large size from a conference room, in your boss' office, or in a taxi en route to a meeting. According to a recent story from Fast Track, you can use a tablet to run top productivity apps like Evernote or Dropbox to access notes and stay on task. Tablets are small enough to fit into your bag, making them easy to carry.
To free your hands while you use a smartphone or tablet, add a pair of headphones or a Bluetooth headset to your collection of tools for assistants. It will allow you to take notes or handle other tasks while you listen to voicemail messages, transcribe your own voice memos, or take calls.
No matter how many pieces of advanced technology you use every day, your admin toolkit should also contain a pen. With a pen, you can write small notes, sign purchase orders, or make edits to printed company correspondence documents. If you're on the run or if your electronic devices run out of battery power, a pen ensures that you always have a way to take notes, draft memos, or take phone messages.
At any given time, most administrative professionals have a number of outstanding action items that need attention. To help make the most of your time, add an easy-close file folder to your admin toolkit. Every morning, fill it with the items you need to complete. For example, you might have documents that need signatures or forms that you need to look over. Keep the file with you during the day and tackle items whenever you have a free moment.
By putting together a simple admin toolkit that stays with you at all times, you won't need to worry about scrambling to find important items. You can accomplish tasks more efficiently and record new items as they come in.
(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)
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