Living life as an executive assistant is like a never-ending roller coaster ride. There are plenty of ups that give you unmatched satisfaction and thrill, and some dips that feel like there’s no getting back up again. While nobody’s perfect, thriving in a high-value role can be extremely fulfilling. And for those who possess multi-tasking and organizing superpowers, this is exactly where you want to be.

The truth is, no day is the same. Projects vary by season and to-dos depend on priorities. But of course, there are constants in every routine. These are the ones that no matter what time of year it is, are a constant part of an executive assistant’s workflow.

EMAILS FOR BREAKFAST

Let us give you a priceless tip you’ll always bring with you: mornings are critical to your day. This is your best and only chance of making sure everything is in place before time starts ticking… fast. There’s nothing like the thought of making sure that meetings are set, all rooms are booked, and events and travel arrangements are completed to make having a double-tall Americano even more appealing in the morning.

And it all starts with emails, emails, emails. 

This is what you’ll be going through for the first couple of hours and periodically throughout the day. As an executive assistant, you’ll be receiving huge volumes of information daily, so believe us when we say that it will make your life so much easier if you assign appropriate labels for your G Suite and Outlook accounts. 

CALENDARS FOR LUNCH

Whether it’s in an app or on your browser, your calendar (or multiple calendars) will be pinned on your screen at all times. Executives spend most of their day doing high-value responsibilities, and this includes plenty of personal meetings and calls. 

For the most part, taking care of your executive’s calendar can be quite easy, especially when you come to a point when you literally know their schedule like the back of your hand. The trick is making sure you review everything before you clock out and first thing when you clock in. And oh, always take notes in any meeting you’re present in. You don’t know when you’ll have to add another entry to that calendar.

PRIORITIES FOR DINNER

Your boss will never run out of priorities, and neither will you.

If there’s anything you need to keep in mind when it comes to the secret life of an executive assistant is this: you are your executive’s business partner.

The central purpose of your job is providing value to your executive, so every single priority is not only finished on time but also done well. You are entrusted to access important information that directly impacts operations, provide invaluable support in making sure your executive drives results, and essentially make sure that your executive has everything they need for every single agenda that’s on their list for the day. Depending on your relationship with your boss, you may even be privy to opportunities where you can provide industry insights and analysis regarding certain projects or milestones. 

But the bottom line is, the to-do list will never run out. If anything, it’s gonna keep on getting longer and longer by the minute.
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So, make sure that as you provide support to your executive, you’re well-supported, too. Having a reliable EA tech stack can do just the trick. With tools like Cabinet that provide an all-in-one solution for keeping your calendars, files, and priorities in one place, your life will be so much easier.