Laughing all the Way to Work

MARCH 13, 2010

I like to be prepared and I find life just works better for me at home, work and even on the bus, when I am organized and ready for whatever is coming up. I organize my desk so everything is within easy reach and makes sense to the way I like to work. I too, love to be organized and it only makes sense to be prepared.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2010 International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JULY 12, 2010

The Stevie® Awards is a prestigious award honouring the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and business people worldwide. The fact that they have a category for Support Staffer of the Year is recognition of the important role support staff play in any organization. Oh where or where is my password?

2010 100

2010 Interviewing Time Zones IAAP 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

DECEMBER 19, 2009

© Copyright Patricia Robb 2010 19 December, 2009 Meetings Plus: Taking them offline I organize a lot of meetings in a day, week, month; heck, even into next year. If the meeting is internal, I send a meeting request, but for external meetings I tend to just confirm with them the meeting details by phone or e-mail. 411 Look Up 411.ca

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

DECEMBER 17, 2008

Here are the top qualities that an assistant must have: Be organized. Can I say that again – BE ORGANIZED! An assistant’s job is to organize the boss and in order to do that we must be organized ourselves. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. Be one step ahead of your boss.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones Filing IAAP 2008 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JULY 1, 2010

One person can be great at software programs and know all sorts of tricks to get things done quickly and another might be excellent at organizing and managing their email account. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. I have always been a believer in sharing ideas and have received my best education from other assistants.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2010 International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

NOVEMBER 8, 2009

Follow up with the meeting organizer to request agenda and/or meeting materials, pre-reading, etc. If it is an internal meeting, has a meeting space been booked? If outside the city, make travel arrangements: are flights required, train or will he or she be driving. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Calendars 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

OCTOBER 10, 2008

The argument could be said that the role of the assistant is to assist and keep your boss organized so we shouldnt complain when we have to do it. I have found the best way to cope is to keep yourself organized. Keep an organized filing system and file list. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2008 International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

SEPTEMBER 6, 2008

© Copyright Patricia Robb 2010 6 September, 2008 Going Checklist Crazy I am organizing a Board meeting and I have checklists and to-do lists coming out of my ears. Being organized helps de-clutter any task and makes it more manageable and doable. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. Why I love my job?

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

FEBRUARY 21, 2009

If a conference comes up and they are looking for someone to do the registration, we can step in and do that or we can organize it from start to finish. There comes a time when companies need to pony up the money and either pay for your training or pay for a professional instead of heaving everything off on the admin because theyre cheap.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2009 International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

APRIL 10, 2009

I find the best way for me to keep my Inbox organized is to immediately deal with the e-mail when it arrives. For instance, I have folders for the Board of Directors, International, Personal and one for Work Information. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. Makes my life simpler. But what about the other stuff?

Time Zones 100

Time Zones Administrative Professionals IAAP International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JANUARY 23, 2010

Another office raised almost $1,000 in a fundraising effort they organized. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. Recently, with the Haitian earthquake disaster, a friend mentioned that one of the doctor`s at the hospital where she works was asking people to sponsor him in a swim for Haiti. He raised over $1,000.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP AT&T Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

FEBRUARY 14, 2009

I have become familiar with time zones, airport codes and international holidays to avoid. I love the planning, organizing and running around that goes into bringing a conference from a thought to a successful event. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. You couldnt survive if you werent. 411 Look Up 411.ca

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Holidays International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JULY 16, 2010

Manage: Consider these points as you organize your workload. It reduces confusion by improving organization and leaves your work space clean. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. Put the least important one on the bottom and the most urgent on top. Check: Are you prioritizing tasks correctly? 411 Look Up 411.ca

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2010 International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

MAY 9, 2010

If I deal with someone and can see that they have organized something well, I will make sure to ask them about it. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. She received a job posting that she thought I would be interested in so passed it along to me and I have done the same for others. I have learnt some great tips that way.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2010 International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

SEPTEMBER 19, 2008

© Copyright Patricia Robb 2010 19 September, 2008 Using a Bring-Forward System to Help Organize Your Boss Of all the articles I have written, the one I wrote on the bring-forward system by far gets the most views. As an Executive Assistant to a busy CEO, I have to organize my boss and I needed a bring-forward system to meet his needs.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones 2008 IAAP Calendars 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

OCTOBER 4, 2008

The head of your organization can often set the tone for how the rest of the office functions. Everyone helping each other and working together to achieve the goals of the organization. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. To work effectively, I have always found working as a team is the best working situation.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Meeting Minutes International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JANUARY 13, 2009

In some organizations raises are tied to how well you do and it is also a record that is kept on your personnel file. I use a place based in Toronto called Last Minute Training. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. Training On-line 10 Things = Frustration "Mom, I'm sick!" 411 Look Up 411.ca

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2009 International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

OCTOBER 11, 2009

There are some assistants however who enjoy the organizing and the business of being an administrative or executive assistant and they are good at their job and get great satisfaction in what they do. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. They dont want to change their career and that is all right too. 411 Look Up 411.ca

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP 2009 International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

SEPTEMBER 7, 2009

Each organization we work for will have their own acronyms that we have to get familiar with fairly quickly if you want to know what they are talking about. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. And who bothers writing out the words e-mail, TV, ASAP or FYI when everyone will know what you mean anyway? 411 Look Up 411.ca

Time Zones 100

Time Zones ASAP IAAP International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

AUGUST 8, 2009

Is everything organized and in the proper place so when you need it you can just grab it? Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. Of course you have to be prepared and know your stuff, but knowing you look good when you walk in the door will do wonders on how you present yourself. What about your work space?

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

SEPTEMBER 29, 2008

Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. Using a Bring-Forward System to Help Organize Your. Patty Buckner North Bay Index by date ► 2010 (26) ► September (2) What's all the fuss about reading contracts? Taking Effective Meeting Minutes ► August (3) Pass it on. Oh where or where is my password?

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Meeting Minutes International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JULY 11, 2009

Below are some things that I have found helpful to build my network: Join a professional association such as the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP). Check out some of the sites and organizations and see which you would find to be most useful. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh.

IAAP 100

IAAP Time Zones Administrative Professionals International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

OCTOBER 4, 2009

Show your boss that you want to contribute to their success and to the organization. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. It saves your boss asking if you got it done and in time they will not ask because they will just know you have handled it. Take initiative and do some tasks that you know need to get done.

Management 100

Management Time Zones IAAP International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

JULY 5, 2009

I find talking it over with a friend can be a good way to organize your thoughts. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. Thank goodness the Internet was also down so my friend couldnt e-mail her frustration to her husband. It is always worse to have things in writing and harder to take back. 411 Look Up 411.ca

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

SEPTEMBER 17, 2010

I also had a reception to organize and I am never sure how many appetizers to order for everyone and normally go by what the hotel staff tell me I need, but I noticed there is always so much food left over that I tried something different this time. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. Oh where or where is my password?

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Negotiating International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

MARCH 15, 2009

© Copyright Patricia Robb 2010 15 March, 2009 When you need it later: The Bring-Forward System My boss likes me to keep him organized and the way I do that is to have a system to bring forward items, which I then bring to his attention when he needs to see it. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. 411 Look Up 411.ca

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International Meeting Minutes 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

DECEMBER 31, 2009

.© Copyright Patricia Robb 2010 31 December, 2009 Office Confidential: Just for fun to start your New Year off with a laugh These are excerpts from a presentation I gave to my local International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) Chapter dinner meeting. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh.

Time Zones 100

Time Zones 2010 IAAP International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

SEPTEMBER 13, 2008

Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. Using a Bring-Forward System to Help Organize Your. Patty Buckner North Bay Index by date ► 2010 (26) ► September (2) What's all the fuss about reading contracts? Taking Effective Meeting Minutes ► August (3) Pass it on. Oh where or where is my password?

Time Zones 100

Time Zones Interviewing IAAP International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

FEBRUARY 8, 2009

Imagine, if we had assistants at home to pay the bills, do the budget, organize dinners, answer our calls and follow up with reminders -- it is starting to sound pretty good. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. That is a good time to recognize assistants for all that they do. Oh where or where is my password?

Administrative Professionals 100

Administrative Professionals Time Zones IAAP International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

DECEMBER 12, 2009

If the letterhead has the name of the organization on it you do not have to repeat it again under the name and title, unless that is your boss’s preference. Some organizations like you to list the attachments, i.e. Enclosure: 2008 Annual Report. As you have discovered half the battle is getting organized. 411 Look Up 411.ca

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP International 2009 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

AUGUST 29, 2009

Going through some major organizing and filing here at our office and this is another 'a propos' topic that hits home. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. Very good article Patricia! THanks for sharing! August 31, 2009 Suzanne said. Hi Patricia ~ Good blog article with some great tips! 411 Look Up 411.ca

Management 100

Management Time Zones IAAP 2009 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

APRIL 17, 2010

Now that I knew what was taking the time, I could do something about it and make adjustments to organize my day better. Keep your desk organized with a place for everything. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. So dont let all that work get you down. Someone else just might have the answer that will help you.

Environment 100

Environment Time Zones IAAP International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

DECEMBER 13, 2008

The office party can be a good time for some networking with the different people in your organization. RSVP If you are not able to attend the party, it is always a good idea to let the organizer know and your boss. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. So why bother going? Oh where or where is my password?

Time Zones 100

Time Zones IAAP Holidays International 100

Laughing all the Way to Work

MAY 24, 2009

Send a Meeting Request, without getting replies You know how it is when you send a meeting request to the whole organization and then get 40 replies in your Inbox. Let your fingers do the walking: Quick keyboard sh. There is little chance that someone will miss that and double book them. To do so choose Invite Attendees.

2007 100

2007 Time Zones IAAP 2003 100

Men With Pens

DECEMBER 13, 2009

They don’t have to like it, mind you, but they DO have to internalize logical ways on HOW to think. Doing all of that at once also helped me develop strong organizing and executing skills! Not because of knowing math, but because you learn HOW to think when you want to solve ANY sort of problem. Keep up the great work!!

2009 40

2009 AT&T Learning Resume 40