December, 2015

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40 Excel hacks for assistants

Practically Perfect PA

If I had to make a list of all of my favourite office technology and software Microsoft Excel would most certainly be missing from the top ten (urm… it probably wouldn’t make the top 100). I do hold a grudge against Excel I must say. Mostly because of all the time spent on Excel doing expenses for Executive’s that had that habit of chucking months and month’s of receipts at me with no idea where they came from or what they were for.

Keyboards 182
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The Admin’s Guide to Organizing Digital Files

Office Dynamics

The Admin’s Guide to Organizing Digital Files By Julie Perrine. Just like papers on your desk can pile up, the same thing can happen with digital files. If you don’t have a filing system to put things where they belong when you save them, the virtual mess can accumulate quite quickly. With digital files, it’s a lot easier to ignore the problem because the virtual piles are out of sight on your hard drive somewhere.

Filing 147
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After 14 Years in Business I Did This

Office Organization Success

Last month I celebrated 14 years in business. Wow — that’s quite an achievement! And to celebrate I became an LLC! It was something I’d been thinking about doing for the past few years but never really got round it. And finally, I made an appointment with my attorney and let her handle it all. The driving force behind going this route is simply for legal reasons; I wanted to protect my personal assets and have a very clear division between business and personal.

Legal 138
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Small Business Trends for 2016

Small Business Labs

Over the past 8 years we've published an annual top 10 small business trends list ( click here to see last year's list and a link to prior years). This year we decided to shake things up a bit. Instead of our usual 10 trends, we're covering 3 broad trend areas. And in addition to trends you should pay attention to, we've add a few technology trends that are getting a lot of hype that we think you can ignore in 2016.

2016 133
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The Memory Edge: Outlearn, Outperform, Outlast

Speaker: Chester Santos

Forgetfulness is costing you time, money, and a ton of missed opportunities. In the age of automation, it’s easy to underestimate the power of a well-trained human mind. But memory isn’t just a parlor trick, it's a strategic edge. Human memory is one of the most underrated business skills. Whether you’re managing people, leading sessions, or having high-stakes conversations, remembering names, details, and concepts can be transformative in building trust, absorbing knowledge, and driving perform

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New job, new culture, new language

Laughing all the Way to Work

Starting a new job is more than just changing where you work. You have to learn a whole new way of doing things, from how to log onto the computer to filling out a purchase order form. There is a new work culture to adapt to and a new language of acronyms to try and sort out. Even though they can seem like small things, at the beginning you are trying to do your best to impress and can feel a bit helpless when the phone rings and you realize you don't know how to answer it.

Agenda 122
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How Wastewater Recycling is Changing to Save the Environment!

Eco-Office Gals

Clean water is crucial for human survival and health. For thousands of years, many civilizations have risen and fallen on the ability to secure sources of water and use them to their advantage. To this day, there are parts of the world that have low water security and have to rely on water that may be contaminated with pathogens, chemicals or both. There are two major ways to produce water that is fit for human consumption.

More Trending

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End-of-Year Exercise: Rate Your Career Fulfillment

Eat Your Career

It’s that wonderful time of year again…where we all drink eggnog and sing merry songs as we reflect on the past and make plans for the future. It’s the perfect time for a quick career reassessment! That’s why I’m sharing this super-fast exercise to help you determine your End-of-Year Career Fulfillment Rating. It’s a very simple tool, but helpful nonetheless.

Goals 116
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How to Find a Holiday Job with Long-Term Potential

Office Dynamics

Image via Pixabay by kaboompics. It’s fairly common for holiday job seekers to try to turn their seasonal positions into long-term and even permanent work. And certainly, some employers look to these short-term hires when they’re ready to bring someone on full time. While not all holiday jobs turn into permanent ones, some do, and if you’re hoping to turn a holiday position into your next career opportunity, these tips will help : Avoid Retail.

Holidays 116
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Merging Machines and Analytics with the Internet of Things

Small Business Labs

GE, the large industrial conglomerate, is re-positioning itself as a digital company. Their recent ads describe GE as an "indugital" and "digidustrial" company. And yes, I agree these marketing efforts are still a work in progress. They've coined the term  "The industrial Internet" to describe their efforts and market.

2020 122
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Different Strokes for Different Folks

Laughing all the Way to Work

It's funny how as I have moved through my career from office to office the way I organize myself has changed. When I was at the law firm, I used tasks extensively and had a wait bin where I put things I was waiting on. I had a lot of trigger dates I needed to remember such as when to file a statement of defence after receiving a statement of claim, or putting in a reminder when the mandatory mediation kicked in.

Filing 116
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Your Accounting Expertise Will Only Get You So Far: What Really Matters

Speaker: Victor C. Barnes, CPA, MBA

In the climb from contributor to leader, the rules quietly change. If you’re aiming for the summit, the air gets thinner—and what got you here won’t be enough to get you to the top (a concept first popularized by Marshall Goldsmith in his book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There ). What made you successful early in your finance career—technical accuracy, sharp analysis, flawless execution—won’t be what carries you to the next level.

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Decluttering in Depth

Clutter Coach

by Okay, so maybe it is time to declutter than closet. This basic technique works for desktops, drawers, cupboards and any other spots where you keep a lot of stuff together. It’s not for attics or out of the way storage spots where you’re allowed to keep things that are rarely used and off-season clothes. This is for high traffic spots.

Clothes 100
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How to Stay Organised as a Personal Assistant

Practically Perfect PA

Modern personal assistants have come a long way from secretaries working in typing pools. These days, a personal assistant is more likely to be involved in making key decisions, even managing budgets. Personal assistants now work with chief executives and, in some cases, perform roles on their behalf. The increased job spec of personal assistants can be traced back to the economic downturn of the 2000’s, which caused many employers to reduce staff numbers.

Calendars 144
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End-of-Year Exercise: Rate Your Career Fulfillment

Eat Your Career

It’s that wonderful time of year again…where we all drink eggnog and sing merry songs as we reflect on the past and make plans for the future. It’s the perfect time for a quick career reassessment! That’s why I’m sharing this super-fast exercise to help you determine your End-of-Year Career Fulfillment Rating. It’s a very simple tool, but helpful nonetheless.

Goals 100
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How Can Executive Assistants Be Like Zappos?

Office Dynamics

This title might seem strange to you: How can executive assistants be like Zappos. Hear me out. In case you have not heard of this cutting-edge company, Zappos has 1,600+ employees who produce in excess of $2 billion in revenues annually. Zappos sells online shoes and clothing for men, women, and children. Tony Hsieh , 41-year old CEO, is a simple man.

2014 109
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How To Overcome Change Fatigue In Finance With Neuroscience-Backed Strategies

Speaker: Kim Beynon, CPA, CGMA, PMP

The most overlooked, yet most critical, element of transformation is preparing people for change. Automation and AI aren't just technical upgrades, they’re cultural shifts which can challenge identities. That’s why change management isn’t a side project—it’s the foundation. In finance, where precision and process rule, navigating change can feel especially disruptive.

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Nanotechnology and the "Golden Age" of Materials

Small Business Labs

The Economist's New Materials for Manufacturing covers what it calls the "golden age" of materials. Key quote on what this means: New, high-performing substances such as exotic alloys and superstrong composites are emerging; “smart” materials can remember their shape, repair themselves or assemble themselves into components. Little structures that change the way something responds to light or sound can be used to turn a material into a “metamaterial” with very different properties.&#

Clothes 116
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Skeleton Staff

Laughing all the Way to Work

During the holidays it is important to have people in the office to keep things going. I like working during this time because you can get so much done that you normally don't have time to do. Here are some of the things I will be doing: Cleaning out my desk drawers - I just started this job a little over a month ago. The girl who was there before me was there for 9 years and before they hired me there were two temporary people sitting at my desk so you can imagine the desk drawers were very dis

Staples 116
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How to Make New Year's Resolutions

Clutter Coach

by This year, don’t let your New Year’s resolutions be just another list of to do’s that you never get to and feel guilty about. Here are some tips on how to make some resolutions that you can actually keep. Don’t pick too many. Challenging yourself is a great idea, but be kind to yourself too. Keep in mind that a resolutions typically involve major changes in lifestyle and habits, and those don’t occur overnight.

Lifestyle 100
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The work life balance of a successful Assistant

Practically Perfect PA

Let’s face it most of us don’t sign up to this assistant malarkey because of the short hours. We kinda know that we are not going to start the day at 9am and be out the door at 5pm. The hours are unpredictable and we are often the last to leave and the first to arrive. We also expect to get the odd phone call in the evening / middle of the night / break of dawn.

2016 136
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Breaking The Commerce Bottleneck: Your SAP Exit Plan Starts Now

Speaker: Jason Cottrell and Gireesh Sahukar

Retailers know the clock is ticking–legacy SAP Commerce support ends in 2026. Legacy platforms are becoming a liability burdened by complexity, rigidity, and mounting operational costs. But modernization isn’t just about swapping out systems, it’s about preparing for a future shaped by real-time interactions, AI powered buying assistants, and flexible commerce architecture.

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The Productivityist Podcast 72: Simon Tyler

Productivityist

In this edition of The Productivityist Podcast I speak with Simon Tyler, author of The Impact Code and The Simple Way. We talk about raising your impact level in business, simple ways to be more productive, and much more. Relevant Links. Simon Tyler | Website. The Impact Code by Simon Tyler. The Simple Way by Simon Tyler. Simple Notes | Simon Tyler.

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Celebrating the season? Preserve your professional image

Office Dynamics

Welcome to the final installment of this year’s series of Monday Motivators e-zines! It’s been a great year, and I can’t thank you enough for joining us in our continuing journey to promote workplace excellence and administrative effectiveness! In this special edition, I want to cover a topic that’s worth repeating every year because it is so important to helping or hindering your career.

Holidays 109
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The Shrinking U.S. Middle Class and Economic Uncertainty

Small Business Labs

Pew Research's The American Middle Class is Losing Ground helps illustrate one of the most powerful trends impacting society - rising economic uncertainty. The reason economic uncertainty is growing is fairly straight forward. Middle income jobs have become harder to find, employment in general is less stable and wages and household income's have been stagnating.  After much debate, there is broad consensus around this topic.

2015 109
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Working 9 to 5

Laughing all the Way to Work

Dolly Parton's Nine to Five no longer applies to me. I've become an early bird. For those who know me that will seem almost impossible, but I've done it. At least during the work week and it's proving to be very interesting. I was always a 9 to 5 person, but would typically arrive a few minutes late. I always felt guilty about it and would sometimes get looks from the other girls or they would make a joke about me being late again, but I was a late night person and always worked well past 5, but

Stress 109
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Automation, Evolved: Your New Playbook for Smarter Knowledge Work

Speaker: Frank Taliano

Documents are the backbone of enterprise operations, but they are also a common source of inefficiency. From buried insights to manual handoffs, document-based workflows can quietly stall decision-making and drain resources. For large, complex organizations, legacy systems and siloed processes create friction that AI is uniquely positioned to resolve.

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You May Go on Vacation, but Your Email Doesn't

Clutter Coach

by Going back to work after vacation is often a let down. On top of that, there’s all the work that’s been waiting for you and the dreaded email inbox that, if each message were printed out, would bury your office knee deep in paper. A very concise and easy to use method for cutting that inbox down to size is provided in a post from one of the David Allen Co. blogs.

Email 100
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5 reasons to learn a foreign language to further your career

Practically Perfect PA

In today’s global society being bilingual is one of the most advantageous skills you can have. With several financial, employment, as well as social and health benefits to knowing a second language, it is surprising that only one quarter of Brits are actually able to speak in another tongue. Learning a new language takes time and dedication, but the development of smartphone technology has brought new opportunities to fit learning into your daily routine.

Learning 125
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Busy Work vs. Real Work.

Productivityist

This is a guest post by Paul Ellsworth. He’s a writer and teacher and his passion lies in watching you reach your full potential. You can connect with him on his website here or on Twitter @paultellsworth. At one time, I had my morning routine down to a science. I would set my alarm in the bathroom the night before. I’d put out my clothes, set the coffee to brew, and have my work space ready.

Twitter 63
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How do you tell your boss you are moving on?

Office Dynamics

It’s time to move on–but how do you break it to your boss? Question: “What is the best way to tell your boss that you are looking at other job opportunities? We have a great working relationship; I’m just ready for something different.” – Debbie, Executive Secretary. How would you tell your boss? Share your comments below on how you tell your boss difficult news.

Skills 109
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Navigating Payroll Compliance: Future-Proofing Payroll in an Evolving Regulatory Landscape

Speaker: Jennifer Hill

Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.

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Real Estate Developers See Airbnb Opportunities

Small Business Labs

We get an weekly email from John Burns , a real estate consulting firm. What caught our eye was their discussion of Airbnb. Key quote: We recently conducted an apartment feasibility study for a proposed new building where the developer was considering including some units devoted to Airbnb users. Even at conservative assumptions on rental rates and occupancies, the Airbnb apartments were likely to generate more revenue per unit than the standard leased units.

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I'm back!!

Laughing all the Way to Work

In 2008 I took a job as an Executive Assistant and Corporate Secretary to a non-profit corporation. My daughter had just left home and I was a empty nester so I had time to try something different and put some time and effort into a new position. This position was certainly different than anything I had ever done. When I took the job, I had never taken minutes before and I had a Board of Directors' meeting in two months that I had to prepare for.

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2008 Organizing Awards: Vote Now!

Clutter Coach

by John Trosko , president of NAPO in LA, just reminded me that it’s time to vote for your favorite organizing product, helpful organizing technology, best organizing TV show, and more! Voting is open to the public and continues through December 31. You can read more about it and vote here on the NAPO LA website. Help spread the word about whatever it is that helps make your life easier, more productive and better organized!

2008 100
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10 reasons to attend Assist 2016

Practically Perfect PA

Over the last few months I have been busy behind the scenes working on the programme for Assist 2016. It is coming together beautifully so I thought now would be a good time to share 10 reasons why I think you lovely lot should attend. It is on Friday 26th February in London. We have packed the day full of brilliant content, speakers and lots and lots of practical sessions designed for you to take back to the office with you.

2016 107
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The Hidden Skills That Separate Good Leaders from Great Ones

Speaker: Chandra McCormack, CPA, MBA, NACD.DC

Technical degrees might open doors—but it’s the soft skills that keep them open. In the face of disruption, evolving workplace dynamics, and rising expectations of leadership, soft skills like communication, emotional intelligence, and presence have become core business essentials—not nice-to-haves. Inspired by stories from her father coupled with her own career journey, seasoned executive Chandra McCormack breaks down how to lead with impact, connect with purpose, and cultivate a workplace cult