Outlook Color Coding Tips

Microsoft Outlook has a great feature that enables users to color code incoming emails.

This feature is awesome!

To enable this feature go to the tool bar and click View > View Settings > Conditional Formatting > Add.

Create a name for your rule and select Condition. (If you only want items specifically addressed to you, go to the Where I am box and select from the drop down list. You can select which option you prefer if any. Then select Ok.)

Select the Font option and then which color you prefer from the drop down list. Then select Ok 3 times.

Repeat as many time as you want or go back and change colors. It’s a great tool to color code your emails!

I hope you found this helpful!

Virtual Meeting Tips

If your office is anything like mine, the majority of meetings are now being held as a virtual meeting. It seems this will probably be the new normal for the foreseeable future. A problem that some are asking is how to improve virtual meetings? The way to make these meetings more effective (and engaging) are most importantly, providing structure to the meeting. Without an agenda or outline of what is going to occur things can become a “free for all”. If you dislike an in person meeting that is not structured, you can image what a virtual meeting is like!

Recently there was an article from the Advisory Board sharing the best way to make telework work for a team. Some of the curated best practices for virtual meetings include:

o encouraging active participation by each attending
o encouraging everyone to use a web camera even if they are camera shy
o assigning a role to each attendee
o the leader calling on participants by their name
o providing an opportunity for everyone to contribute their thoughts and ideas
o incorporate team building as part of the meeting
Of course the most frequently heard phrase during a virtual meeting is “Please put your microphone on mute”. Almost every meeting I have been on seems to open the meeting with the phrase and then it is repeated multiple times.

The next time you are asked to lead a virtual meeting, see if these tips help. Or maybe someone will ask you for some ideas on how to improve virtual meetings, you’ve already got a list of ideas. I’d love to hear how it goes!

Decisions, Decisions

How many decisions do you make in a day?

Recently I read an article that said the average person makes 35,000 choices per day. That’s not a typo. 35,000! Wow!

Have you ever kept track of how many decisions you make each day? Or have you ever tried to go an entire day without making a decision? Impossible! While we cannot eliminate all decisions, be more mindful of all the decisions you make today. Be thoughtful in each selection. If you find this difficult, then keep in mind the quote by Tony Robbins, “When you know what’s most important to you, making a decision is quite simple.”

Is there a way you could cut down on the choices that you make on a regular basis? Look for ways to minimize some of your decisions, whether at work or home. This will give you more time to be more productive in other areas. The Harvard Business Journal shared an article several years ago on the topic: 3 Timeless Rules for Making Tough Decisions. Not all decisions are tough but I think this article points out 3 simple ways to assist in making these types of judgement calls. The author, Peter Bergman, suggests 3 rules:

· Use habits to help alleviate decision fatigue
· Use if/then thinking
· Use a timer

If you would be interested in reading his article, here’s the link. https://hbr.org/2015/11/3-timeless-rules-for-making-tough-decisions

Life is a matter of choices, so make them good ones!

Productivity

5 Ways to Increase Productivity When Working Fom Home

When you’re working from home it is only natural to keep looking for ways to increase your productivity. If you accomplish more work in less time it means you have more time to relax with your family and have fun. Here are five suggestions that can make a difference:

1. Keep a daily routine

Some people may scoff at the idea that they can have anything resembling a daily schedule. The truth, though, is that a daily routine can boost productivity and prevent work from spilling over into your spare time. By starting and stopping work at approximately the same times every day, this will help ensure you’ll have plenty of time to recharge afterwards, which is ultimately great for productivity.

2. Plan ahead

Something as simple as a daily “To Do” list can do wonders for productivity. Sure, deciding in the moment what to do next has a certain charm, but it leaves you spending too much time on deciding, and too little on completing your work. If you keep a daily “To Do” list and decide on the tasks for the next day before the end of your work day, you will notice notice the difference almost immediately!

3. Stay healthy

It is impossible to stay productive in the long run if you don’t take care of yourself and treat your body and mind poorly. This doesn’t mean you have to become a health nut to get some real work done, but at the very least you should try to schedule some exercise a couple of times per week. One of the easiest things is just going for a walk around the block. It’s also important to invest in an ergonomic workplace, especially a good chair to sit on, as that will help reduce fatigue and keep you energized and going throughout the day.

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4. Eliminate distractions

Some people say they can multitask and can watch TV while they’re working. They’re probably a minority, however, as most of us find it quite distracting to try and focus on two things simultaneously. When you are working, be fully present! Turn off the TV, set your phone to silent, close your social media applications and shut the door. You will see your productivity skyrocket!

5. Get out of the house

Even if you are an introvert and enjoy working alone, the fact is it can get lonely. If you spend all week cooped up in the office, rarely seeing or actually talking to someone in the outside world, chances are you’ll feel a bit isolated and your work will suffer. For this reason, make it a point of leaving the house at least several times per week, even if it’s doing something simple such as going for a walk in the neighborhood. Other ideas would be meeting a friend or family member for lunch, but that would be once the Corona virus is over.

Bonus Tip

Do not check your email first thing in the morning. Have a set time to check your email, maybe an hour or two after you have begun work. Otherwise it is easy to fall into the email trap and get sidelined from your “To Do” list.

These were only a few examples of things you can do to improve your productivity. Most people should benefit from implementing these, but feel free to experiment and find what works best for you.

Travel Planning

One of the many requirements of an administrative professional is to coordinate travel planning for their executive. If you have a great process that works well for you, that is awesome! However, if you need a process, check out our new guide. The 5 step process helps takes the struggle out of travel arrangements and even includes forms and checklists. This will help you stay organized throughout the entire process. Once you have a system, it is easy to stay on top of coordinating travel whether it is for one person or multiple individuals. You will be a hero if your executive has a smooth trip. Let us help you be a superstar!

Interested in the travel planner?

The travel planner for assistants was added in our newly opened. Stop by and check it out. We also have other printables available that may be helpful to you.