Mastering your work

I’ve been in the industry for the past four years and, like everything else in life, it’s got its ups and downs, but honestly – I love it. I started working as an Executive Secretary, handling generic client requests, administrative duties, and accounts. A year and half later, an opportunity within the company arose and I was more than happy to take it on, and today I’m an Account Executive.
I manage the marketing needs and projects of a number of clients. From generic tiny jobs all the way up to large campaigns, you can never tell what’s coming next. I’m also in touch with several suppliers on a daily basis, depending on the client’s needs. It could be a simple job like printing business cards, but it could also be managing the facade signage of a new block of offices, or shop, which isn’t so simple! 🙂
I love my job, there’s never a dull moment and clients come from a variety of different sectors so there’s always something new and exciting to look forward to.

How do I keep myself organised?

With a list of responsibilities and deadlines to meet, things sometimes get a bit crazy. In a position like mine it’s important to keep on top of everything and never let the work get overwhelming.
Over the years I developed a system of work which helps me keep things organised.

My 6 Time Management Tips to Increase Productivity and Improve your Organisational Skills at work

1. Prepare in advance – especially when there’s a tight deadline or a client’s meeting. It’s better to be prepared and plan things carefully. If you’re attending a meeting, create an Agenda so all the line items on the Agenda are discussed and looked into whilst at the meeting.
2. Schedule your time and your day – The workload can be split. No need to hassle and stress. Create a priority list.
3. Start early and don’t waste time :p
4. Be organised – Use a filing system both at home and at the office. If you need to find something and you’re in a rush, it will be easily found.
5. Create a detailed handover for when you’re away of the office – This will help others know what’s going on with your on-going projects while you’re away. Clients would still be happy to receive any jobs that are due while you’re away.
6. Have a to do list or reminders – This way you will never leave something out.

What’s the benefit to all this?

Being more organised means being more time efficient. You lose time looking for lost files and documents or fishing through old emails to track down missing information. You waste time switching between devices to get different information from separate places.
Be conscious of this and keep files and things you will need later organised and easily accessible to make your life easier in the future.
With a few simple changes and adjustments you can save hours during the week and significantly increase your productivity and decrease your stress levels. Of course don’t forget to have some fun and get away every once in a while.
Just remember: you’re the master of your work, not the other way around!