Try tracking the time it takes you to get to work every day to see what the true average is, and adjust your timing accordingly. Add a buffer time of 15 or 20 minutes to any given time, and even test out how long it takes to get somewhere in advance of going there for the first time. [2] X Research source
Get up from your desk or take a break from what you’re doing for 17 minutes after every 52 minutes, as studies show this makes for the best productivity. Do a few simple exercises, talk to coworkers, or just take a stroll around the office during this time. [3] X Research source
Keep schedules and calendars open and available to pull up on your computer or phone at a moment’s notice so you can consult them and add appointments in right away.
Try sending out an agenda for the upcoming meeting, minutes from the last meeting, or any other relevant materials to all the attendees the morning of or night before. [5] X Research source
If you don’t often take notes by hand or you don’t want to learn shorthand, do a typing test. Set a timer for a minute and try typing out a typical email on your phone, tablet, laptop keyboard, and detached keyboard. Then count the number of words you typed on each device. Stick to the device with the highest word count when you need to take quick notes.
If you work well with pen and paper, keep a small planner or calendar that can fit in your pocket or purse so you always have it with you. Keep a pen attached if possible so you never have to fish around for one. Have a designated note pad for to-do lists at your desk, and cross things off as you go. If you work better with digital organization, use your phone’s calendar and reminder system to make appointments and receive notifications about them. Try apps like Wunderlist or Todoist to manage your tasks. [8] X Research source
Share tasks, documents, and notes with other secretaries, your boss, or other employees with project management software like Basecamp or Trello. [9] X Research source Share documents and spreadsheets with Google Docs and use programs like Dropbox or Hightail to send files.
Many web and mobile apps for email, calendars, and lists also allow you to assign a color to each item.
Try making folders for each year, quarter, or month, or label them by project, employee, or type. Try to respond to, delete, or log the email’s information elsewhere right away. Set schedules for yourself, like having all emails filed in appropriate folders by the end of the day, and cleaning out and dealing with everything left in your inbox by the end of the week. [10] X Research source
Keep supplies organized at your desk or workspace. Use containers, trays, file folders, and other containers that are all labeled or colored for easy sorting.
Get to know the special features of your office phone, like sending someone straight to an employee’s voicemail or adding people into a conference call, so you can save time and avoid technical difficulties.
Turn on spell-check in the applications you use for documents, spreadsheets, and emails. Turn on this feature in your browser as well to catch any errors while typing on a webpage, especially when posting to the company’s website, social media accounts, or other official platforms.
