When I first entered the workforce, I was 16. There really weren't many opportunities available for a 16 year old, other than flipping burgers. At that time, I was not too excited about standing all day, so I decided to look elsewhere for work. I was lucky to have found a job as an office assistant. I was excited about dressing up in ''work clothes'' and sitting down all day. I remember working in that office 4 hours a day (it was a part time job) and getting handed different assignments. I completed each and went on to the next. It was mundane and routine, but it was a job, and I was happy to have a paycheck.
What I didn't realize then that I realize now is my attitude about that administrative job. I literally went into work, completed my assignments, and left. I never took into consideration that my work was part of a larger process. Maybe at 16 there was no need for me to look at the bigger picture. But if you have a career in the administrative field, then it is crucial to your success that you become more productive and improve on your skills very day. Rather than going into work and just getting things done, understand what your work is a part of. In this way, you would be more productive, more skilled, and more valuable to your employer.
How you spend your time as an administrative professional
An excellent habit to get into is to know exactly how to spend your time. To do this, break your day into 30-minute segments and write down what you do in each time block. Do this for a two week period. Then evaluate how much time is spent to actually result-oriented tasks. If you find you spend 3 hours on email, then condense that time to free up hours for more productive work.
How to plan your day as an administrative professional
Create a list of the tasks you need to accomplish each day. Do your best to prioritize the more important or difficult tasks. This will help you avoid the ''crunch-time'' effect, which is, speeding your way through tasks during the last 45 minutes of your day. Also, cross off items each time you finish a task. Crossing of items will give you a sense of accomplishment and inspire you to press on.
How to focus on end results rather than administrative work
As an administrative professional, you are no doubt bombarded with various time-consuming tasks, such as data entry or filing. However important it is for you to finish these smaller tasks, it is important for you as an administrative professional to determine what requires the most time and energy. Devote time to tasks that will accomplish the most results. As an administrative professional, you would be able to, effectively manage your time to finish the smaller tasks.
Conclusion
By focusing on results, you'll be better able to complete administrative tasks and assignments. As an administrative professional, it is important for you to work on your skills each day and find ever-better ways of accomplishing projects. Continually improve on your work performance and your career as an administrative professional will be a successful one.
