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The calm before the storm… that’s August in the eyes of executive assistants: when even the strictest executives slow down for a few days, most emails receive automatic OOO messages, and to-do lists feature an unusual amount of travel planning and hotel bookings.
But with September, everyone is back with renewed energy and bolder plans to grow, build and scale. You might even consider brushing off your New Year’s resolutions.
In this September frenzy, are you struggling to stay focused on priorities and set yourself up for a productive last quarter?
Good news, your remote executive assistants can help you get back on track.
Here’s a few tips by Headroom Executive Assistants on how to nail productivity last few months of 2022 (and finally tick off some of those resolutions before the new year kicks in).
1. Block time (and emails) off when you are most productive to tackle the big stuff
We all have our own peak productivity hours. If you’re an early bird, ask your EA to allocate time and avoid meetings during the morning. If you get into the zone later in the afternoon, that’s when you want to have time blocked for deep-focus work.
2. Stop saying yes to every single meeting invitation you get
First ask yourself: “do we really need this meeting? Am I bringing any added value by joining?” If the answer is no, you can let your EA tactfully decline or reschedule.
3. Don’t try to multitask your way out of busyness
Sorry to break that for you, but the multitasking myth is actually slowing you down. If you’re worried you’ll forget to do something if you put it off, ask your EA to remind you later that day.
4. Find a good way to capture ideas
We all love to brainstorm new ideas, but careful not to get lost in it. Pour all ideas in one place as they come – be it your phone notes, a notion page or a good old notebook; and review the list every two weeks.
5. Take those lunch and water breaks
Having 6 Back-to-back meetings isn’t as cool as we might think, and never leads to really effective outcomes. Cherish your breaks, no matter how short, and use them to reset and replenish energy. To get into this healthier work-flow, try the famous Pomodoro technique or by setting 10-min blocks in your calendar.
6. Delegate more
You’ve hired people and experts so they could do their job and let you focus on yours. Let go of the micro-managing urges and go through your to-do list with your EA: what can be delegated and what do you need to do yourself?
If you want to sharpen your delegation skills, we’ve put together our top tips on how to delegate effectively.
7. Embrace messiness
If September makes you feel you need to become a whole new well-organized leader, just be kind to yourself and trust your EA to keep you on track.
Conclusion: finish off 2022 in style with your remote executive assistant team
From managing organizational details more efficiently to giving you time to focus on growing your business, it’s clear that working with an executive assistant can add a lot of value to your business, and help you skyrocket productivity.
Ask your executive assistant team what more they can do for you: they will be happy to review your working style and advise you on how to set healthy boundaries to increase your productivity.
Find out how a remote executive assistant can add value to your company.
