PA of the Year 2009, Lynn Kruger, describes a typical working day.


5


05:00: 06:00:


07:00 : 08:00 08:05: 08:10: •


• •


• e-mails


Get all the items on my ‘follow-up- list’ out of the way and finalize meetings and appointments that where pending


10:00: •


• •


Start working on today’s ‘to-do-list’ and I hope I


can reduce it by about 5 lines! This normally includes: Function sheets – update / follow up and confirm Management Calendar – update


Payments – cheque/travel and petty cash requisitions to be


signed and sent to accounts • Typing of documents, sending e-mails and creating presentations


11:00: Try and complete anything on my ‘action-list’ Rise and Shine!! Wake the kids; prepare and shove breakfast in my


mouth (chew and swallow later); pack lunches if there is time (thank goodness for school tuck shops!)


Out the door; drop the kids at school and take


on the taxis in the traffic. Thank goodness for my car kit, it enables me to phone my refreshment officer to make sure everything is ready for the first meeting of the day at 8am.


Arrive at work (providing there are not trucks


stuck on the highway, accidents on my main route or traffic lights out of order)


Walk in, shout “Good morning Everyone!” and


switch on my PC hoping that it will start up in the 5 minutes it takes to make my second cup of coffee.


Hit the ground running! Thank Lungi for setting


up the refreshments and confirm the meeting schedule for the day / agenda for a full day meeting.


Distribute signed documents returned by my bosses to


the relevant people or departments Prioritize any new instructions left by Management Clean up Inbox and distribute / delete / archive incoming


which involves: • • •


12:00:


Phoning people for documents needed for board packs Arranging collection / delivery of documents


Sending external mail to the mail room or documents to be couriered


Arrange lunch from the canteen for my guys and


maybe even a bite for myself which I swallow down with my third cup of poison. Finalize refreshments for the next day’s meetings with the canteen and my right hand, Lungi, who is my refreshment officer and general admin skivvy!


13:00: Send out internal Newsflashes and post


announcements / reminders of events on the notice boards 14:00: •


PA Forum meeting


The agenda normally includes : Approval of previous minutes


• Introduction or relationship meeting with suppliers and service


providers • New policies, procedures, appointments and departures • Any announcements from the Exco Feedback on events and conferences


•


General sharing of information and problem solving 15:00:


16:00: 16:30: 17:00: Typing of minutes and agenda’s for meetings and


any other correspondence or urgent matters that might arise during the day.


Slowing down to a mild panic. This is normally


when I do my filing and finalise tomorrow’s lists (to-do; action; follow up)


Everyone leaves and the phones quite down


which gives me a little time to touch base with my boys (if they are available) and ask their approval or opinion on various matters.


Switch off all appliances in the kitchen and


unnecessary lights to save energy and race home through the traffic to my second ‘job’ which I love even more than this one …


* At the time of going to print, Lynn had resigned her position to take a morning only PA position in order to have more time with her children careersuccess • issue 2 9


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