3 ways to tackle multiple projects

Executive Assistants often find themselves in the tricky situation of having to do multiple projects at once. When you're handed all of these tasks, your mind tends to scramble and you don't even know where to start. Here are some tips to make your crowded to-do list feel more manageable:

1. Set deadlines

It helps to set your own deadlines if they haven't already been set for you, the Project Management Academy recommends. Then, break up the amount of time you want to work on each project every day, so that, on any day, you are never neglecting a task.

2. Manage up if need be

No matter your progress on all of these projects, it's important to tell your boss if you're struggling. Let them know how you're doing and ask them if you're on the right track with a project if you're worried about it. Also make sure to ask if there are any connections between these projects that you should be aware of. Lastly, make a point of asking co-workers for their input on each of these projects if they have the time.

3. Concentration is key

Everyone struggles with this step - it's hard to focus on a task when you have a lot of other things to do. But concentration on a single project at a time will not only lead you to doing a better job, but also decrease your stress levels significantly. Try to rein in your worries and focus on the task immediately in front of you. All of these techniques require practice but, in time, you'll become an expert at juggling multiple tasks on your to-do list.

Why and how to continually improve as an EA

It's important for Executive Assistants to remember that, just like any job, you have to constantly innovate, according to Office Dynamics. If you remain static, you will become less useful in the office. This is because technology, business and people are constantly in flux, and you have to go with the direction of change no matter what your role in the company is.

You first want to observe what changes are happening. Once you understand where the company is going and how it may be transforming in subtle ways, you will be able to do your job better. You can even ask your boss what the biggest changes in the last month were if you feel like you don't have all the information available to you. Also ask around the office since there may be changes your boss doesn't even fully understand.

It also helps to bounce new ideas off of the Executive and ask them how you can do your job better. Julie Perrine, founder and CEO of All Things Admin recommends. Make the best use of technological trends, too. Keep up with the most high-tech ways of organising yourself and your boss.

Perrine says that she has had both a very innovative EA as well as an EA who was not innovative but efficient. Pierrine said that the innovative EA ultimately helped her more than the efficient one though because the innovative EA saw herself as part of a problem-solving team.

An EA with a continuous-improvement mindset will go far and become indispensable not only to the Executive, but to the company, too.

Why and how you should be more yourself as an EA

It's vital to let yourself be authentic at work in some way. It will be too much of a strain to constantly check yourself and it may even distract you from doing your work to the best of your potential. Plus, people will be less likely to follow you and come to you for answers if they don't know and trust who you really are, Inc.com says. This can be detrimental to your advancement and competence.

Plus, authenticity is important for an EA because it makes clients feel more comfortable with the company. Sometimes, you'll greet clients or go along with your boss to meet them. Remember that you're representing the business and your boss, so you want to try to give off a friendly but authentic vibe.

"It's really important that the way you feel inside and your values and beliefs and who you are internally match the external. If the two are incongruent, that's when people's antennas tend to go up, and they feel there's something about you that isn't authentic," says David A. McKnight, the author of The Zen of Executive Presence.

It can be hard to be completely authentic if you're nervous, but practice makes perfect. The more you practice being your true self when meeting new people, the better you will get at it.

However, always remember that it's best to maintain professional boundaries. Once you learn how to be more authentic at work, just be sure to not get too comfortable. For example, it's best not to be too open about politics or reveal unnecessary details about your personal life, Monster.com advises. After all, as an EA, your role is to make sure things go as smoothly as possible for your boss and to improve their professional image.

EAs need to align themselves with the Executive's needs

Executive Assistants need to be intuitive people who are good at figuring out their boss' needs, values and priorities. EAs who then do everything in their power to align themselves with their boss are most successful.

Dr. Ken Blanchard, author of The One Minute Manager says that "the people skills and being in line with our core values are the most important thing. Everything else can be taught."

EAs should work on observing what people value and closely listen to what their boss says and does. For example, if a boss often says that they care about being punctual and remembering people's names, a great EA will then do everything they can to help their boss be on time and will even remind their boss of different employees' names. A key lesson for EAs is that their job is to foremost make their boss's life easier so that they can do their job better, according to Erika Anderson, author of Leading So People Will Follow.

Anderson says that she appreciates her EA because he regularly gives her suggestions and that she appreciates that her EA recognises what is important to her and works to help her to achieve her goals.

EAs should always remember that it is crucial to make their boss feel supported in reaching objectives and sticking to their values.

How to show your appreciation for your boss

Every now and then, it's a good idea to show your boss that you appreciate them. It's necessary to show gratitude because it will help you maintain a good working relationship with them and you may want a referral from them in the future. Of course, you want it to be authentic and show that you really mean it.

Laura MacLeod, founder and owner of the From The Inside Out Project, says that "there's really no need to send flowers or buy a card. You don't have to grovel. Just do your job well and go a little bit beyond. Managers, supervisors and CEOs will really appreciate that."

One way you can show appreciation is to go above and beyond to help your boss out sometimes. For example, you can offer to do some extra paperwork to make up for a sick employee's work or stay late if your boss is struggling to finish a project. MacLeod says that taking on additional responsibilities will always be a way to show that you care about your boss and the job beyond your own self-interest.

Telling your boss in person that you are thankful for their mentoring is a great way to show you really mean it, too. Do this after your boss has recently given you a special project or a raise so that you have a specific reason for why you're thankful. The Houston Chronicle gives an example of how you could thank your boss: "I appreciate the faith you're showing in me with this new role. I love my job and I'm looking forward to this new challenge."

Saying thank you every now and then demonstrates to your boss that you appreciate the fact that they believe in you.

Ensure that you're keeping the Executive in the loop

If there's anything that annoys bosses, it's being completely blindsided by a new development, according to the Muse. Bosses like to know what is going on at all times within the company because it looks bad for them if they're unaware.

Therefore, part of the job of an EA is to notify the boss of any changes. This means you have to stay privy to any buzz going on in the office. The moment you think something is up that your boss may not know about, especially if it's a problem, inform them. If they do find out about something later, they'll likely feel ill-equipped to handle it and irritated that they were not made aware of it earlier. For example, if they find out that a client was dissatisfied, they'll want to know immediately because maybe they are the best person to solve the problem.

However, sometimes you can give your boss too much unnecessary information, so you need to learn how to organise information into small packages, according to Shawn Graham, author of Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job.

Graham says that he finds it helpful to inform his boss of any updates in a few (no more than five) big buckets. He says that his boss appreciated regular updates on what was going on in the office and he would always ensure that this meeting happened no matter what.

The main takeaway is to keep your boss in the loop and never let any excuses override alerting your boss to any big changes that they may not know about.