As an administrative professional, you are constantly juggling many balls at once. You have to be prepared to answer questions and make decisions on the fly. Sometimes these decisions may seem small, but they can actually have a big impact on your day-to-day operations.
In this blog post, we will discuss six of the most important decisions you need to make every day. Being prepared for these challenges will help you stay organized and effective!
1. What to Prioritize?
As admins, we constantly have a lot of requests from different people. It can be difficult to decide what to prioritize and what can wait. So, it is crucial to be able to assess each situation and make a decision based on what is most important.
Is the request time-sensitive? Does it require your expertise?
Answering these questions will help you determine what should be at the top of your list.
If you are having trouble deciding, it is always a good idea to ask your boss or the person who made the request for more information or their timeline. They will usually be able to give you a better idea of what is most important to them.
2. What Gets Attention?
What gets attention and what can wait are two more choices admins have to make every day. Prioritizing tasks is a key part of being an effective administrator.
However, what I mean is, what are you reminding your colleagues and managers about? What projects and tasks of theirs are you keeping in their minds? It is important to be strategic about what you give attention to and make sure it is getting the results that you want.
For example, if your boss wanted to follow up with a client that day, but you know they will forget about it by the end of the day, send a reminder email to your boss an hour or two before the end of the day.
3. When to Say “No”
Knowing when to say no is another important decision admins have to make. You cannot please everyone all the time and there are only so many hours in the day.
Learning to say no politely but firmly will help you stay sane and avoid burning out.
Saying no can be hard, but it is important to know your limits and stick to them. Otherwise, you will end up taking on too much work and not being able to do your job well.
So, the next time someone asks you to do something that is outside of your scope of work or that you don’t have time for, don’t be afraid to say no.
4. Decision to Walk Away
The last decision administrative professionals need to make every day is when to call it quits. Knowing when to walk away from a problem or task is an important skill to have.
Sometimes the best decision is to leave something for another day or ask for help from a colleague. Admins who know when to step away are better able to focus on what’s important and avoid burnout.
It’s kind of like when you are trying to proofread a document or write an email, and you’ve stared at that one word so long that it no longer looks like a read word anymore. Taking a moment to do something else or try again another day with fresh eyes could be the solution.
5. How to Maintain Organization
One of the most challenging things about being an administrative professional is maintaining organization when it feels like everything is constantly in flux. It can be difficult to keep track of deadlines, projects, and meetings when there are constant changes.
However, there are a few things you can do to help maintain organization:
- Create a system that works for you and stick to it. Find a way of organizing information that makes sense to you and helps you keep track of everything.
This might mean using a physical planner, creating digital folders, or something else entirely. The important thing is to find a system that works for you and stick to it. - Make use of software and reminders. Project management software like Trello can function as your own administrative assistant.
Set reminders for yourself in whatever system you’re using so you don’t forget important deadlines or meetings. This can be a lifesaver when things are particularly hectic. - Communicate with your team. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the amount of change, talk to your team and see if there’s anything they can do to help lighten the load.
6. How to Deal with Difficult Coworkers and Clients
Dealing with difficult coworkers and clients is one of the most challenging aspects of being an administrative professional.
It can be tempting to try to avoid these people altogether, but that’s not always possible or practical. Deciding how to deal with them in a way that doesn’t negatively impact your job performance or mental health.
- Set boundaries. It’s important to set boundaries with difficult coworkers and clients so that you don’t become too emotionally invested in their problems.
This can be difficult, but it’s necessary if you want to maintain a healthy relationship with these people. - Find common ground. Try to find something that you can both agree on, even if it’s something small. This can help you build a rapport with the person and make it easier to communicate with them.
- Be assertive. It’s important to be assertive when dealing with difficult people. This doesn’t mean that you have to be aggressive, but you should stand up for yourself and your needs.
6 Crucial Decisions Administrative Professionals Need to Make Every Day Conclusion
So, the next time you’re feeling down because you think your work doesn’t matter, or no one appreciates all that you do, remember this post.
By being aware of the choices you need to make and taking the time to consider your options, you can be sure you are making the best decisions for yourself, your team, and your company. As administrative support professionals, the decisions we make every day have a ripple effect on our work and our sanity.
Sometimes it’s hard to remember that, especially when others don’t see all the invisible work we do. But if we can take a step back, assess what’s going on around us, and make decisions accordingly, hopefully things will run a little more smoothly—and we can feel good about ourselves at the end of the day.
The decisions administrative support professionals make every day have a direct impact on our success—and sometimes we don’t even know it!
What was your biggest decision this week? What other decisions did I leave out? Leave a comment below and let me know what else is on your mind. As always, thanks for reading!
Featured Photo by cottonbro:
