Become More Productive in Your Admin Role Using These 5 Tips

03 Feb Become More Productive in Your Admin Role Using These 5 Tips

As an administrator, you’re the key to making the whole office work. That means you’re juggling a lot, all the time, with more items just waiting to be tossed your way at a moment’s notice (and probably without warning). 

Unfortunately, that means you can spend a lot of your day trying to figure out what needs to be done next, prioritizing and shuffling, which also means things can get dropped or fall by the wayside. 

To kick off 2022 right, here are some tips on how to increase your productivity without breaking a sweat. 

1. Make lists.

Every morning, identify the absolute most important priorities for the day. Rank them in terms of urgency and importance. Note deadlines and, if needed, steps required to make sure those deadlines are met. This list will be the guide for your day, with a slight deviation. Unless something major and crucial comes up, it can wait until tomorrow. 

2. Know yourself and work to your strengths.

Some people are rarin’ to go when they first come in the morning, feeling sharp and focused and capable of jumping straight into projects within the first 10 minutes. Other people need a little more time to get into a work mindset. You know how you work best and when you’re most likely to be productive: Use that knowledge to structure your day, dedicating tasks that require more attention at a time when you’re mentally ready to address them. 

3. Block off time.

It’s so easy to get pulled into meetings if your calendar is empty and open. To keep yourself focused and on task, set blocks of time on your calendar for dedicated tasks. This can be as small as 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon to check email and messages; it can be setting aside an hour or more to tackle a larger task that’s been put off or needs more of your devoted attention. The chunks of time should correlate to your priority list to ensure the most important things are getting done. 

4. Stop multitasking

“But I’m so good at it!” you think. “I can get so much done if I work on three things at once!” No. Sorry, but that’s been proven, time and again, to be untrue. The more things you’re looking at once, the less attention you’re giving each item. That can create mistakes, problems, and having to do a job twice, demanding more time in the long run than if you had just focused on one item at a time. You’ll save time this way! 

5. Take breaks.

Be sure to step away from your workspace every so often, whether to get some water, take a walk around the office, use the restroom, or get a snack. Our brains need breaks to work correctly — it’s not a waste of time; it’s a moment to shift focus, refresh and prepare to dive into something new. It’s like hitting the reset button when a program starts to glitch. Take the time to hit your reset button and go into the next project with clear eyes. 

The idea of working smarter, not harder, is ultimately about productivity. If you set up your day for success, mapping out specific times for specific projects and giving yourself a little breather in between, you’ll be surprised how much more you can accomplish in a day! 

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