Administrative Sparkle Blog

My challenge, actually for the week, has been managing overload. I realize that I can’t do it all, but I make every effort to, and to do it well. That is the problem with overload. You find yourself sacrificing the quality of your work. You don’t mean to, but it’s inevitable.

As an assistant, the job is all about managing constant interruption. Not everyone can do it. We are multi-tasking between all sorts of activities. Our job is not the kind that you can start on a project, focus, and plow through. While working on a task or project, we are also answering the phone, managing email, stopping to assist with a question, routing documents, logging, and processing. In reality, sometimes I’m amazed anything gets accomplished.

These days I find myself walking into work and booting my computer up with a minimum of 30 emails, and it’s not uncommon to start the morning off with 60. That doesn’t include the stream of emails coming through each and every hour. When managing through email, and most things, I am a “first in, first out” kind of gal. What I am getting better at is, while going through the oldest mail first, attempting to manage the latest mail that comes in too. So I’m kind of running through email from both ends.

Everyone has advice because everyone’s stuff is priority. Well, every piece of email I get requires me to do something with it. Whether 5 minutes or 30 minutes and it is all important and it all must get processed. Nobody knows all that you do and, really, they don’t want to know because they are busy too. So how do you handle the barrage of demands. After all, you are only one person.

Don’t let it get you worked up, stressed.

First suggestion.  You have to breathe and keep your calm, sense of humor, and sanity. It is called “grace under pressure.” The difficulty is dealing with an environment like that every day, which really isn’t healthy either.

Manage your space.

Some people seem to function in stuff. Stuff everywhere. I’m not one of them. I like a clean and organized desk. I like leaving the office with everything off my plate so I can come into work the next day with a fresh “plate,” so to speak. But this isn’t always the case. So, knowing that you are coming in the next day with a “boat load” of stuff to get done, try to organize your desk before you leave so you at least walk in with everything in place for you to get off the ground running and not begin your morning feeling cluttered and out of control. I’m not a morning person. I like to get my cup of coffee, boot up the computer, and build steam as the day progresses.

Manage your time.

This could mean when someone gives you a request, ask for a deadline. When do they really need to have it completed? Communicate if there is a conflict in getting the task completed on that timetable. They may be able to compromise or juggling the other conflicts may be required. The point is, make sure that there is clarification on priorities. We may think one thing is a priority when it turns out that it may not be as urgent as our initial impression of there being one.

Do the best you can.

Perfection is non-existent. Well, other than an amazing sunset or a beautifully prepared meal. Strive in greatness in all that you do. Make sure that your attitude is that of high quality and that will reflect in the output of your work. Some environments are toxic, but that doesn’t have to be you. Don’t allow others to get in your head. Stay true to yourself and keep your attitude elevated so that you are better for yourself and for the people who matter to you.

Don’t take the job home with you.

Which brings me to another good point. When you’re done with work, you’re done. Leave it there. Go home and enjoy spouse, kids, dog, cat, and even yourself. If you need something to vent on, find something that moves the energy out of you and brings good energy into you. That could be a hobby, meditation, a nicely prepared meal where you sit down and enjoy your healthy food on beautiful plates. I go to the gym and I go 6 days a week. I not only lost 15 pounds in one month, but I have been known to sweat 2 hours on the elliptical or beat up the weight machines. They can take it and they don’t say anything back. But don’t take it out on the really important people in your life. They are the ones who deserve your best. Find an outlet that can take the beating, something you love or at least enjoy, and it makes you a better person for doing the activity.

Appreciation.

Appreciate what you do. Even if you don’t get it directly, love what you do and it really doesn’t matter what other people think. Understand that there are a lot of people who either do not like what they do or they are going through their own issues. We don’t have the full story of why people are the way they are, so by not being confrontational or aggressive will sometimes cut the edge off how they may interact with you. And, yes, sometimes it is hard to do. You might feel like you need one of those bits that you can bite down on to manage excruciating pain.

As an assistant, we like helping people. That is just how we are wired. It brings us satisfaction knowing that we were able to put something together that looks effortless and easy. It is when you no longer take pride in what you do that you lose what makes you so great at your job.