The Big Picture on Time Management (Part 1 of 2)

Time management involves more than just time. As an executive assistant, you have to manage your time but your employer’s time as well. Apart from that, you must manage priorities, tasks, and even other people's schedules.

I want to look at some of the strategies I have used in the past to manage time in my job as an executive assistant:

1. Try to schedule your day in blocks. If you can divide your day into 50-minute intervals or thereabouts, you’ll get more done. Blocking time keeps you from becoming restless by letting you break to new tasks and gives you enough time to accomplish something significant.
2. Regularly review your schedule throughout the day. Don’t obsess about your schedule, but do check it a few times a day to make sure you’re on track with your tasks.
3. Prioritize. The art of time management really is about the art of prioritization. Know what can wait, and know what can’t.
4. Schedule a buffer whenever possible. If your employer has to be at a meeting at 1pm, schedule the meeting for 12:55 to allow him time to get there.
5. Take advantage of what you have. Use every tool at your disposal to help manage your time.

In my next post, I'll examine some of the best tools I’ve found to help you implement these time management strategies.