For most of us, admin is a word that can make you cringe to the core... It tends to grow at a rapid rate - tick one item off, 4 more are added to the list... Sound familiar??

On the other hand, the satisfied feeling when checking items off the list is so good!! it gives a sense of achievement and in many cases feels like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Making your way through admin can fuel you with momentum and gives the sense that you are getting things done! Tick!

I hired a Personal Assistant early on who handles the majority of my admin tasks as well as manages my diary (my diary in itself is a mammoth task..). Whilst this is the case, there are still many admin tasks which I need to do myself.

When these types of tasks poke their way onto my To Do List, I tackle them with a few simple combat methods. By focusing on and managing your time, you can knock a list full of admin tasks over in around 30-45 minutes. How bad could that be?

Allocating this time once or twice a day can work wonders in moving your business forward to reach your goals faster. Although these ideas apply to business admin, by all means, feel free to use these for those pesky personal admin tasks also.

Below are the four hacks I frequently use to keep on top of my admin tasks both within the business and in my personal life.

1. Real-Time v's Clock Hours

Whilst they clock might say we have 3 hours to complete a task, don't be fooled. Once you take into account distractions like phone calls, making a coffee, or perhaps even a quick scroll through your Instagram feed, this time may be cut down to 1.5 hours. Admin tasks can often be mind-numbing so it is easy to become distracted.

To combat this I work in short bursts of time. 30-45mins is generally the right amount before I feel I want to move on to another task.

2. A Clear Inbox

Just as a clean office and a tidy desk can work wonders for your focus and productivity, so can the state of your inbox. A clean and clear inbox is one of the most refreshing feelings in the world. Clearing flagged items and deleting social media notifications can feel like a detox in itself. Clear your inbox to clear your headspace!

3. Diary Management

Meetings, events, planning time and paperwork are just a few tasks I do each day. Everything I do goes into my diary which is managed by Mari, my assistant. This is so crucial to the flow of my business as it ensures there is sufficient time for everything I need to get done. Deadlines for writing, presentations and speaking events can creep up so very quickly but by strategically managing my diary I am able to stay on top of it all. Though it can be an exhausting admin task, it is essential.

4. Schedule Everything

Do not fall into the trap of measuring your productivity by the number of emails you send or by how many meetings you attend. Schedule your time effectively by allocating certain time-blocks to certain elements of your business.

For me, I time-block using the following categories; business growth, BAU, networking, admin and downtime. I then colour code each time-block on the calendar, in the diary and on the To Do List so I can visually see that I am using my time to the best of my ability.

I understand how easy it can be to get stuck attacking a never-ending pile of admin tasks. It can take so much valuable time away from the important elements of your business, the ones that are going to make your business more productive. These 4 strategies will allow you to streamline these annoying yet necessary tasks so you can maximise your work day!

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