When you're in charge of running an office, your time is precious. With so many people and projects competing for your attention, it's often difficult to get everything done. That's why advance planning and time–saving practices are key for busy office managers.
According to Candy Mixter, an administrative professional with over 30 years of experience, the following tips can help you make the most of your time.
Pass out a phone list
Supplying employees with a list of "frequently called" phone numbers will minimize interruptions to you. Put everyone in the department on this list, as well other popular numbers such as the main switchboard, the mail room, conference rooms, and departments that are called often.
A slush fund is a must
Keep a "slush fund" of $20–$30 in cash available for last–minute expenditures when no one is around to sign a check for the expense. You never know when you'll need these extra funds.
Keep tabs on office supplies
If you're having trouble estimating what office supplies you need to buy each month, try keeping a running tally of what supplies are purchased for three months. This tally can be the basis for your re–orders. Also, try consolidating requests so that you aren't ordering on a weekly basis — let your co–workers know that you place monthly orders so that they will learn to plan in advance and not expect immediate fulfillment of their supply requests.
A stamp in time...
Streamline your everyday tasks with stampers. Invest in a set with your address, logo, or commonly used phrases. Quickly mark invoices "paid" and important documents "confidential". This handy business essential makes your documents look uniform and reduces tedious, repetitive writing, saving your time and energy for more creative tasks.
An extra itinerary
When helping your manager prepare for a trip, put an extra copy of your manager's travel itinerary in his or her travel package for family members. With their own copy of the itinerary, the manager's relatives will know where to reach him or her directly, saving you time and additional interruptions.
Keep those presentations
Hang on to both a hard copy and an electronic copy of all presentations you prepare. These copies can be used as supplements to other presentations and you won't need to waste time recreating slides. The hard copies are great references for others.
Happy "birthmonth"!
Instead of celebrating your co–workers' birthdays as they occur each month, designate one day a month for these festive occasions. Announce the day in advance via email and list those celebrating birthdays that month. With this system, everyone's birthday is acknowledged and the office administrator need not make preparations multiple times for cakes and announcements.
Fill out the calendar early
At the beginning of the year, begin populating your calendar with key dates that you know about, such as staff meetings, holiday events, tradeshows, important deadlines, etc. Putting these dates on your calendar at the start of the year will make planning going forward easier.
Keep a welcome kit handy
Always have a welcome kit for new employees prepared and ready for distribution, as new people may join your team at any time. Include a phone list, a map of your building and/or floor, fax coversheets, copies of forms, and anything else that can be prepared easily in advance.
