As an assistant, you are likely always looking for ways to work more efficiently and get more done in less time. In this post, we’ll be sharing three productivity hacks that have made a big difference in our working day.
These hacks are specifically tailored to assistants and focus on tools and techniques that can help you stay organized and on top of your tasks.
First, we’ll discuss the importance of using keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Office. Keyboard shortcuts can save you a ton of time and reduce strain on your wrists and fingers, so it’s worth taking the time to learn the ones that will be the most useful to you.
Use keyboard shortcuts
For example, let’s say you’re working on a report in Microsoft Word and you need to add a table of contents. Instead of manually creating the table and formatting the page numbers, you can use the keyboard shortcut ALT+ S + T and then the arrow keys, to automatically generate a table of contents based on the heading styles in your document.
Or in PowrPoint to duplicate a shape use the keyboard shortcut CTRL+D
Create templates:
Let’s say you work in a marketing department and you’re responsible for creating social media posts on a regular basis. Instead of starting from scratch each time, you can create a template that includes your brand’s logo, font and colour scheme and any other elements that you use consistently. This way, you can simply input the specific text and image for each post and save yourself the time and effort of formatting everything from scratch.
Use the “To-Do” list feature in Microsoft Outlook:
Here’s a case study to illustrate how the “To-Do” list feature in Outlook can help you stay organized and on top of your tasks:
As an administrative assistant at a busy law firm, Rachel often has a long list of tasks to complete each day. She uses the “To-Do” list feature in Outlook to keep track of everything she needs to do, including scheduling appointments, drafting emails and preparing documents for meetings.
Rachel starts her day by opening Outlook and reviewing her “To-Do” list. She sorts the tasks by due date and priority so that she can tackle the most pressing items first. As she completes each task, she marks it as done, which helps her stay focused and motivated.
Throughout the day, Rachel adds new tasks to her “To-Do” list as they come up and she sets reminders for herself so that she doesn’t forget anything. By using the “To-Do” list feature in Outlook, Rachel is able to stay organized and on top of her workload, which helps her work more efficiently and effectively.
I hope these additional examples and case study give you a better idea of how these productivity hacks can make a difference in your working day. Remember, the key is to find the tools and techniques that work best for you and your workflow and to be consistent in using them. With a little bit of practice and discipline, you can boost your productivity and get more done in less time!
