Tips to Save Time and Stay Organized for Executive Assistants

Being an Executive Assistant (EA) is no small feat. Juggling multiple tasks, managing busy schedules, and handling last-minute changes can quickly lead to overwhelm if you don't have the right tools and techniques in place. The key to thriving in this demanding role is mastering productivity and time management, ensuring that your time is spent efficiently and effectively. 

To help you do this, here are some practical productivity tips and tools to ensure you’re taking control of your time and working on what matters most.

1. Time-Tracking: Know How Long Each Task Takes

Understanding how long individual tasks take is essential to better schedule management. Often, we underestimate the time needed for even simple tasks, which leads to last-minute stress and has a cascading effect on other work. Whether it’s preparing meeting materials or coordinating travel, tracking how long you spend on each task can uncover inefficiencies and help you allocate your time more wisely.

For example, you might discover that post-meeting follow up takes twice as long as you thought. Using time-tracking tools like Toggl or RescueTime, or even the timer on your phone, can help you get a realistic view of how long it takes on average to complete specific tasks. These insights provide concrete evidence when you need to adjust expectations with your executives, or to streamline your workload.

Pro Tip: Periodically conduct a "time audit" to get a clearer view of how much time is spent across tasks and projects. Knowing this data will enable you to block out realistic chunks of time for recurring tasks, preventing yesterday’s to-do list from spilling into today’s. See if the length of time each task takes changes over time. As you become more experienced, certain tasks may take less time than they once did.

2. Tackle Tough Tasks First

We all have tasks we’d prefer to avoid—the ones that feel overwhelming, tedious, or just plain unenjoyable. Instead of pushing them to the end of the day, when your energy and focus may be depleted, tackle them first. By getting these out of the way early, you free up the rest of your day for more enjoyable and creative tasks.

Consider scheduling these tasks during quieter parts of the day, when interruptions are less likely. For instance, mornings might be a good time to focus on detail-heavy projects like organizing reports or preparing expense documentation, while the afternoons can be reserved for meetings or brainstorming.

Pro Tip: Create a small reward system for completing tough tasks. Whether it’s a coffee break or a quick walk, giving yourself a reward can make tackling these challenges more enjoyable.

3. Batch Tasks Together

Jumping from task to task throughout the day can waste valuable time and mental energy. Instead, batch similar tasks into time blocks. By grouping tasks like emails, phone calls, or scheduling into a single, focused session, you can improve efficiency and reduce mental fatigue. This method works particularly well for EAs who manage multiple executives, allowing you to handle similar requests in one go rather than switching between unrelated tasks.

For example, set aside two 30-minute sessions each day to go through your inbox. During that time, focus solely on responding to emails, saving any non-urgent ones for the next block. This ensures you remain on top of communication without letting emails take over your day.

Pro Tip: Consider adopting the Pomodoro Technique—work in 25-minute bursts with 5-minute breaks in between. After four Pomodoro sessions, take a longer 15-30 minute break to recharge.

4. Turn Off Distractions: Especially Notifications

Notifications from emails, messaging apps, calendars, and other platforms are productivity killers. Every new alert interrupts your flow and pulls you away from deep work, often leading to unnecessary multitasking. According to Forbes, “The average person works only three minutes at a time before getting distracted. Three minutes before checking an email, looking at the ding on their watch or phone, or someone walking up to their desk with a really quick question.” 

To avoid this, instead of reacting to every email that hits your inbox, set dedicated times for email management. Turn off notifications for non-essential apps and reserve specific time blocks to check them. This lets you stay focused on the task at hand without unnecessary interruptions.

Pro Tip: If turning off all notifications feels daunting, start by silencing them during your peak productivity hours using modes like ‘Do Not Disturb’ or ‘Focus Time’. You’ll be amazed at how much more you get done when distractions are minimized.

5. Limit Interruptions

Similar to notifications, in-person interruptions come with the territory of working in-office, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be managed. Establishing a few simple boundaries will help you regain focus on the task at hand. For instance, if you have a time-sensitive task, consider booking a meeting room or working from a quieter space. Alternatively, use visual signals like wearing headphones to indicate that you’re in focus mode.

If you often work in-person, communicate with your team when you're on "focus time" and when you'll be available for questions or collaboration. This helps reduce unplanned interruptions and ensures your workday stays on track.

Pro Tip: Practice a “delayed helpfulness” strategy. When someone approaches you mid-task, let them know you’re currently busy but that you will follow up as soon as you’re available. This helps you stay focused without neglecting your colleagues’ needs.

6. Setting Boundaries and Saying “No”

As an EA, having an ‘can-do’ attitude and helping others is part of what makes you invaluable, but it’s essential to know when to say ‘no’ or delegate tasks. If a task doesn’t directly contribute to your executive’s goals or your organization's objectives, ask if it can be assigned to another team member or handled through tech automation.

Knowing when to push back isn’t about being unhelpful—it’s about protecting your time so you can focus on what really matters. If you're overloaded with requests, don’t hesitate to respectfully communicate your current priorities and bandwidth.

Pro Tip: Oftentimes, simple tasks can be completed by using technology or AI. Be sure to ask for the technology you need to make your job more efficient.

7. Learn How to Prioritize

Prioritizing tasks can be difficult when everything feels urgent. A simple but effective method to cut through the noise is the Eisenhower Matrix, which divides tasks into four categories:

• Important and Urgent: Tasks to tackle immediately.
• Important but Not Urgent: Schedule time for these high-impact tasks.
• Urgent but Not Important: Delegate or reschedule if possible.
• Neither Urgent Nor Important: Consider eliminating these tasks.

This framework ensures you’re working strategically rather than reactively, making time for projects that are crucial to success.

8. Plan for Downtime: Embrace Breaks

Breaks are essential for productivity. Powering through a day without stopping leads to diminishing returns. Short, regular breaks actually improve your focus and efficiency. According to Harvard Business Review, “shorter breaks are more effective in the morning, while longer breaks are more beneficial in the late afternoon. This is because fatigue worsens over the workday, and we need more break time in the afternoon to recharge.”

So, use your break time to recharge, stretch, or briefly socialize. Incorporate a morning or afternoon walk into your routine or use your break time to catch up with a colleague. The mental refresh will help you return to your tasks with renewed energy.

Take Charge of Your Time—And Meetings Too!

Remember, productivity isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing what matters. By employing these techniques, you’ll find it easier to manage your day-to-day tasks and create space for higher-level thinking and problem-solving.

Speaking of saving time, we’ve found that planning in-person meetings can take up to 25% of an admin professional’s time each week. TROOP helps EAs and meeting planners cut down on hours of research time when planning a meeting. Meeting planners don’t have to manually research meeting destinations or flight and accommodation options individually. And that’s just the beginning!

Interested in streamlining your meeting planning process? Schedule a demo today.