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diary management - a guide

Mastering Diary Management: An Expert Guide You Need

Embarking on the journey of diary management is a significant step, especially if you’re new to the role. Whether you’re an Office Manager, Personal Assistant, or just getting started in the professional world, the challenge of balancing your own schedule alongside managing a director’s diary can be both exciting and daunting. Fear not! With the right strategies, you can navigate these responsibilities seamlessly. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through practical tips and examples, providing a foundation for success in your newfound role. Let’s dive in and unlock the secrets to effective diary management!

What is Diary Management?

Diary management is the art of efficiently organising and overseeing schedules, appointments, and tasks within a designated timeframe. Whether it’s for an individual or a team, effective diary management involves optimising time, prioritising activities, and maintaining clear communication. In the context of an Office Manager and Personal Assistant, it encompasses coordinating not only one’s own schedule but also that of a Director or team members. It’s about ensuring that everyone’s time is utilised productively, deadlines are met, and communication flows seamlessly. From setting up meetings to handling day-to-day responsibilities, mastering diary management is key to a well-organised and productive professional environment. This guide will unravel the strategies to help you navigate the intricacies of diary management successfully.

  • Establish Clear Communication Channels

As the Office Manager and PA, effective communication is paramount. Set up clear channels for scheduling appointments, and ensure open lines of communication with the Director to stay informed about their priorities and commitments.

Example : Utilise a shared calendar where both you and the Director can input availability and request or confirm appointments.

  • Prioritise Tasks with Flexibility

Juggling two diaries requires careful prioritisation. Identify critical tasks and prioritise them while allowing for flexibility to accommodate the dynamic nature of the Director’s schedule.

Example : Prioritise important meetings and deadlines while maintaining flexibility for urgent requests from the Director.

  • Time Blocking for Efficient Management

Implement time-blocking techniques to maximise productivity. Allocate dedicated time slots for specific types of tasks, ensuring that both your responsibilities and the Director’s commitments are well-managed.

Example : Block off the morning for general office management tasks and reserve the afternoon for managing the Director’s schedule and priorities.

  • Utilise Diary Management Tools

Leverage diary management tools to streamline the process. Utilise software that allows for collaborative scheduling, automatic reminders, and real-time updates to keep both diaries synchronised.

Example : Explore tools like Microsoft Outlook or Google Calendar to manage diaries efficiently, ensuring that changes are reflected instantly.

  • Coordinate Team Meetings Effectively

If part of your responsibilities involves coordinating team meetings, ensure they align with both your office management duties and the Director’s schedule. Optimise meeting times to maximise participation and productivity.

Example : Schedule team meetings at times convenient for all team members, taking into account the Director’s availability for key discussions.

  • Proactive Communication with the Director

Maintain regular communication with the Director to stay informed about their priorities and any changes in their schedule. Being proactive ensures that you can anticipate needs and make adjustments accordingly.

Example : Schedule regular catch-up meetings with the Director to discuss upcoming commitments and address any potential scheduling conflicts.

  • Delegate When Necessary

Recognise when tasks can be delegated without compromising efficiency. Allow your team members to contribute to the overall coordination if there are aspects of diary management that they can handle.

Example : Delegate routine scheduling tasks to an assistant when appropriate, freeing up time for more strategic aspects of diary management.

Navigating the dual responsibilities of an Office Manager and PA to a Director requires a blend of organisation, communication, and flexibility. By implementing these strategies and adapting them to the specific needs of your role, you can successfully manage both diaries and contribute to the overall efficiency of the office. Embrace the challenge, communicate effectively, and celebrate the successes of managing multiple responsibilities with finesse.

Ready to enhance your diary management skills further?

Stay tuned for our upcoming online course on this subject in the meantime, explore our other courses to boost your professional development., here’s to your continued success in your expanded role, example of diary management, share this story, choose your platform, related posts.

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Diary Management Tips for PAs

Managing a busy diary is no simple task – as every PA will know.  Some boss’ diaries are so complex, they employ two PAs, one to work on the diary – the ‘diary PA’  – and one to do everything else. In some industries, such as banking, the diary can be as much as 80% of the PA’s work.

A good diary manager needs to decisive yet flexible.  Flexibility in the diary is something that a number of PAs are afraid of – they live by the ‘once it’s fixed, it’s fixed’ approach and woe betide anyone who asks them to move a meeting. One of the assistant’s recurring tasks is to oversee the manager’s diary. Assistants organise, arrange and make a note of managers’ meetings with both internal and external contacts, whilst also keeping an eye on appointments that have been made and finding solutions if they are not able to go ahead and making a note of this. PAS also play an important role here, taking a large portion of the preparation and follow-up out of managers’ hands, leaving them to concentrate on the main task of running their business.

There must be ONE PLACE, electronic or on paper, where ALL the appointments are noted. Nothing must EVER be written down elsewhere, below some useful tips.

 Talk to your boss.   Sit down with your boss and agree which meetings you can move, which you can delegate to someone else and which you can send his or her apologies to.

 Colour co-ordinate (if using Outlook)   It does have the functional purpose of making it easier to read.

 Responding to diary appointments.   Once your boss has indicated that he or she hopes to attend an appointment, or set up a meeting, you will need to RSVP.You may wish to give a definite response, or (for larger receptions or gatherings) it may be prudent simply to say that the MP “hopes to attend”, for flexibility.

 Find out exactly what the nature of the event is now to save time later . Is it a round-table discussion which they will need to prepare for? Will they be asked to speak? If you originally discussed the engagement over the phone, send a follow-up email to get things in writing. Sending your boss to something with no written instructions can be risky and you will have nothing to fall back on if you have any problems.

 Weekly Diary Plan. Once a week (Friday afternoon or Monday mornings are best), take some time out to plan all of the activities for the week ahead in the following way;

Commitments / Appointments / Meetings already made

Lunch / Break times (always put these into your diary – this is planned & important time!)

Planned Activities (outside of commitments / meetings)

Personal Tasks / Time

 Daily Diary Update.  Update your diary at the beginning or the end of each day but treat the activities planned in your ‘weekly planning time’ as if they were your best customers – don’t sacrifice these for the sake of unimportant or urgent activities – get better at knowing what an emergency is for you.

 Travel smart.   Including travel information in your calendar can help to keep you organized while you travel, and a tool like Tripit will do a lot of the work for you. Also, instead of traveling for meetings, consider scheduling conference calls or online meetings to save even more time.

 Be creative.  Managing the diary with logic and common-sense is paramount. You’ll need guidance from your boss about what their priorities are. When a meeting request comes in, ask the following questions:

a. Does the boss have to attend this meeting in person?Can they send a delegate and receive a de-briefor read the minutes of the meeting?

b. Can the meeting be done earlier? Breakfast, lunch or as a late afternoon meeting?

c. Does the boss need to stay for the whole meeting? Can they attend for the first 30 minutes and perhaps the end of the meeting for the plenary?

d. Is a meeting necessary? Can the decision be made by a quick call or email?

How do you manage the diary? Do you have any tip to share with us?

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diary manager personal statement

Diary Management Interview Questions and Answers

There is no minimum requirement for personal assistance in the educational field, but a background in business or administrative work helps with diary management interview questions and answers. In some cases, a second or third language may also be important. Generally, your skills are more important than your education. Discussing some of these essential skills can help you determine whether this type of work is for you.

Here is a list of personal assistant skills for resumes, cover letters, job applications, and interviews. The necessary skills will vary based on the job you are applying for, so review the list of skills listed according to the job list and skill type. Look through this list and see if you have used these skills in previous jobs or earned them by training.

Make notes about when and how these skills were used or how to improve them. Then add them to your resume and cover letters or keep it easy to complete the job application. Applications screen people will often be looking for skills. Match your skills with the most necessary for the job. Then be sure to include your cover letter and your resume has been listed.

Interview answers should be developed about how you used your skills in previous locations. Give an example of how you solved a problem at work using one or more of these skills. Show how to contribute to a project’s success using your skills.

Diary management interview questions

Managing a busy diary is not a simple task and treating useful diary management interview questions and answers gives this effort a positive momentum. This list is not complete, but the most important, sought-after skills for personal aids include.

Institution and time management

As a personal assistant, a large part of your work will be organized and scheduled. Therefore, you have to be well organized yourself. Thankfully, the organization learned. You can take your time to be more effective and otherwise you should take care of your lifestyle and any of your specific strategies.

Durable and discreet

As a personal assistant, you will secretly disclose privacy confidentiality material from your personal private information to keep you confidential.

A related skill technique, is the ability to respond to all silently or not, the information that may be difficult or embarrassing to other people. Otherwise, you’ll be a safe person to be weak with your manager. After all, only you know how much support they will have.

Written and verbal communication

You need to understand and follow the instructions, and you must send clear and honest information. Depending on your location details, you may want to welcome clients, respond to correspondence, or create reports and presentations. Speaking of these things and requiring high skills of communication with reading, listening, and reading.

Accuracy and detailed attention

Detail focus is a critical element of both organized and well-organized communication.

Mistakes or mistakes can make good disqualification and can break serious mistakes or colleagues from your manager.

Knowledge of relevant software

The handle you have to handle may vary, but it may include word processing, spreadsheets, databases, calendars, desktop publications, and PowerPoint or some equivalent. Being able to provide at least Mini technology support is a plus. In order to choose for yourself, you may have to evaluate different programs and applications that provide the best tools to accomplish your manager’s objectives. Always, your job is to make the task of your managers easier and simpler, and for that many back-scenes may need to solve the problem.

Personal Assistant Skills List

Administrative skills

These skills are often part of the job description or add-value skills for a personal assistant. Your employer may require someone to do this for him.

  • Implementation process
  • Maintain schedule
  • Office management
  • Project management
  • Accept condemnation
  • Receive message
  • Taking note
  • Travel arrangements
  • Travel plans
  • Administrative
  • Appointments
  • Correspondence
  • Event Planning

diary manager personal statement

Communication skills

As a personal assistant, all aspects of communication are important for the job. Ready to showcase your experience or training?

  • Written communication
  • Screen calling
  • Oral communication
  • Hold the phone
  • Salute visitors
  • Inquiry is welcome

Financial efficiency

Do you have experience or training for this work?

Need work for personal help

There is no minimum requirement for personal assistance in the educational field, but a background in business or administrative work helps. In some cases, the third or third language may also be important. Generally, your skills are more important than your education. Discussing some of these essential skills can help you determine whether this type of work is for you, with some best project management software for personal use.

Managing a busy diary is not a simple task and treating useful diary management interview questions and answers gives this effort a positive momentum. Interview answers should be developed about how you used your skills in previous locations. Give an example of how you solved a problem at work using one or more of these skills. Show how to contribute to project success using your skills.

Interview questions – diary management roles and responsibilities

Managing a busy diary is no easy task – as each PA needs to know. Some boss diaries are so complex that they use two PAs: one for the diary – ‘diary PA’ – and one to do the other. In some industries like banking, more than 80 percent of PAs work in a diary can be constituted. I have worked with fairly free diaries, while Basu returns from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm in the mid-afternoon meal (lunch breaks), and those who work from different positions. So, my diary completes the right part of the operation and still manages a diary, and I want to share some thoughts with some of your best dairy managers.

A good diary manager will be decisive but flexible. Flexibility in the diary is something that suffers from PAs – they are ‘fixed once, live by it’ and they hate any person who asks them for a meeting. However, the flexibility of the diary is the highest because it allows workers access to the boss and ensures the prevention of obstructions or the ‘hull-ups’ due to the manager’s lack of.

Some meetings like Board Meetings or AGMs can not be transferred, but while working on two blue-chip companies for board managers, those meetings only account for 10 to 20 percent of diary entries. So, in the other 80 to 90 percent of meetings, transfer gives relaxation and flexibility.

In fact, in all PAs roles, the perspective may always be as flexible as a diary – which means the PA was not afraid to move a meeting. Even if this works more for them if its meaning can be understood that, after correcting the diary, any meeting can join any preference, the PA will do it. Actually, PAs usually need to move each meeting in their diary, to another one. Quite simply, if you do not like to move a meeting , perhaps a PA is not a job for you.

There is nothing more annoying than the PA, which says, ‘I’m sorry, but did not get anything for the next four weeks’ (and not the boss, not on annual holidays). Or that PA does not offer to move that meeting so that the participants may be required.

Therefore, considering the account’s need to be flexible and disposable, however, who are firm with those who request access to the boss, how busy does PA face many meetings to fit in very few diary slots? Or when the boss complains – many do – that ‘diary is very busy’ and it refers to PA’s fault for meeting there too (yes, we’re all there!)? Well, here are my strategies and tips.

Talk with the boss

First, sit with your boss and agree that you can remove any meetings, which meetings you can represent others, and send meetings to apologize if you need them. For example, a meeting of one person (meeting with the boss’s direct reports) can be removed and I can often remove them. At the same time, it will also be applicable to internal meetings – Yes, one can be a boss with the chief executive (often his boss).

Diary Flexibility works in two ways – when I’m struggling to unite three people because their diaries are not fit, the PAs I woke up can help me, if I can help them through their diary clashes. Managing a busy diary is not a simple task and treating useful diary management interview questions and answers gives this effort a positive momentum.

Create a meeting reference folder

Secondly, if you are new to your role or boss, then there are various meetings for frequent attendance (simultaneously with the banking industry where many directors are sitting in various project teams or executive committees, with the same meeting at least every four weeks. Please), then make a list at the upcoming regular meeting (or print out the diary entry from Outlook)

The meeting title will remember the meetings by you, so if you create a list of meetings by filling in the title, or print out the Outlook entry and put it in a folder (alphabetical order), then you can ask your boss to the full list and ask which one is at this meeting:

(A) he or she should be present in any situation;

(B) In case of any conflict, they may send representatives or proxies;

(C) Meetings that probably do not have to be present in them, for example, if they are not free, you can forgive them; And

(d) they never want or do not need to be present in it, where you can approach the organizer at the meeting: ‘My boss and they do not appear; you can close their electronic distribution list.’

Then, when an electronic invitation arrives or the meeting owner asks you to arrange a meeting, you can make a clear decision about managing that meeting, because you made a note about whether it is not in the preference or meeting title in your meeting folder.

For example, when I worked in banking when I joined, I knew the biggest learning curve was that my boss had to stay in a meeting; He requested 10 meetings per day and every time I did not see or not I would not surround my head door.

So, I’ve printed all entries from Outlook, put them in a folder, and then scrolled to the corner ‘must be present’ or ‘can represent in XYZ’ or ‘the first hour only exists’ etc. This folder then became my reference document until I knew that a meeting was prioritized; He kept asking the boss if he does not attend or sit in; And, when I left that role, or someone covered for me during the holidays, it worked as a good handover document.

Be creative with your boss’s time

Thirdly, it is the first to operate the diary with logic and general knowledge; The boss can not be in three places at all (I say three, as I worked for a boss, who will be in two meetings simultaneously, either by telephone or in the first half and then half of the other half!). Therefore, you need your guidance to make a path for your priority meetings on what your priorities are from your boss and any meetings if any.

If your boss has a busy diary and most senior officials, then you will be creative with their schedules. When a meeting arrives, or because of a meeting request, the following questions may help you with the conflict of the diary:

Will the boss be personally involved in this meeting? Can they dial (via telephone or video conference) instead of presenting them personally?

Will the boss really join this meeting? Can they send a representative and get a brief or summary after a person’s chairmanship, or even read the minutes of the meeting?

diary manager personal statement

Need a meeting all? A quick telephone call or an email can be decided by different parties, or is determined by a corridor conversation that is not determined? (Again, when I used to work on banking, my boss often said: ‘If it is difficult to determine, do not do it; I will take their coffee this morning or when I will enter the car park.’ Learn about business telephone etiquette .

Can the meeting work be done on the previous day (such as a morning breakfast) or at lunch (with lunch) or even in the late afternoon (even though sandwich or refraction supplies)? In the college where I work now, we can participate in meetings at regular 5.00 meetings so that people can attend to it (how wonderfully how many people can appear suddenly at this time, especially if you keep a sandwich! ).

Will the boss have to stay for the whole meeting? If they are there to fix the scene, can they be present for the first 30 minutes, or perhaps only the full decision , and at the end of the meeting to negotiate the next steps?

The diary should not just show what are watching – it should also show what they are not doing.

Another tip at the beginning of my PH career, using the ‘Sara Day’ program at the top of DOS, which is not a boss meeting reminder. For example, when you send someone an apology because the boss can not do that appointment or formal dinner, use the all-day event placed above the word ‘apple’ at the top of the dial, at the top of the timeline, along with the time and place, events that the boss does not appear.

For further explanation: I can be on top of my boss’s diary for a specific date: ‘Apples: SFA dinner, 6.00 ton, town hall’. It clearly shows a boss that I have apologized to him in a meeting, and this is a reminder to me that I sent him apologies. Otherwise, during the four weeks, when the boss asks you what he had on the invitation, he was near the town hall Diner, how do you remember what you did with it? Then you can ask Bose to find the date and send your pardon with confidence.

This is especially useful if your organization uses it to invite you to a firmly organized electronic Outlook. The negative aspect when you hit the ‘Reject’ button is that you have no record of the meeting. I’ve caught it many times with it, so before I ‘fall’ I write enough information as an all-day event in Outlook which will serve as a reminder, but I’ll need it again.

Also, use all Outlook events for canceled meetings, sent an agent, and use another reminder to help you and the boss. For example, one’s current boss may see the diary as follows:

  • Confirmed: SFA KIT meeting, 3:00 pm (Frontier House).
  • Canceled: Interview with B Johnson – May 23rd rescheduling.
  • Confirmed: G / Carrier Service in Manchester – Join ns.

All of these serve as a reminder of my boss’s awareness meetings, but he was no longer present because I had given them responsibilities, they were transferred or canceled, or because of other clashes.

This is a simple method, but if you use it wisely, it will save you a long time, because what you are doing is not only at the top, but also the ones they are doing. And when the boss asks you, you will answer!

A boss loves this method. Instead of being confused about what the PA is away from and getting the board papers in the meeting that he is doing any work, he can clearly see at the top of the diary in his presence and in the PA’s absence, the boss will actually send papers to his representatives.

Before checking with the PA, first, check the diary and see if he understands that the PA has a vague idea about a meeting, whether he is going to be in the diary, whether it is an entry for the main part of the diary, or as a reminder at the top he is not participating, and is someone else.

Controlling boss

Finally, a boss who wants to control his diary! Some bosses are more controlling than others, and their PAs do not give them the freedom to manage their diaries properly. In my opinion, how to help the diary understand the diary in their (PA) domain, Ph.C. should work with their boss and allow them to manage the diary as appropriate.

Managing a busy diary is not a simple task and treating useful diary management interview questions and answers gives this effort a positive momentum. No deadline is missed and no barriers are made to carry out the workflow and the completion of the organization’s work, so it is not important whether or not to remove any meetings in all its capacities with the best project management software for personal use.

Sometimes it is the PAs who are reluctant to move to their meetings because it does their job. In fact, a diary of the boss is just as flexible as that of the PA.

Diary is not valuable personal – but your boss is ‘time’; A confident and responsible diary manager-managed by the meeting and helps to get things according to the diary, not only by his master but also by other directors and colleagues will be well-liked and respected. In short, a good diary manager keeps the ongoing flow of work and ensures the right order happens correctly and at the right time.

Having a good diary manager means thinking about your boss’s priorities to think outside the box, being creative with the appointment schedule, and deciding on the diary. This means having confidence and autonomy from your boss has been able to manage the appropriate diary to get the job done. Managing a busy diary is not a simple task and treating useful diary management interview questions and answers gives this effort a positive momentum.

Those are lucky who had never worked with a boss who never interfered with the diary management of the PA. The rise of the conflict occurred, and the smart PA moves frequently meetings before the boss even noticed they were removed. This is free work and joggle for the diary, but if you are good at managing the diary, then the boss will respect you for this, and it will leave you to go with it. After all, do not have big thinking to sit on.

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Personal Statements: Examples, Do's and Don'ts

Personal Statements: Examples, Do's and Don'ts

As the name suggests, a personal statement is unique to everyone, but that does not mean there are not specific personal statement rules and guidelines to follow. Being able to quickly showcase your skills, personality and job fit can be challenging, so we are here to shed some light on structuring a personal statement that’ll make you stand out from the crowd. 

In this guide, we will be looking at how to write a personal statement and the do’s and don’ts. By the end, you should have a better idea of how to structure a personal statement and impress your potential new employers.

💡 Note: We will be covering professional personal statements and not personal statements for University admissions in this article.

What is a personal statement?

Often confused with a cover letter or supporting statement, a personal statement is a small section on various forms of CVs. A personal statement is often no more than a few sentences where you can quickly summarise your skills, experience and job fit into a bitesize paragraph. 

A personal statement gives you the opportunity to briefly sell yourself to your potential employer and showcase why you are the best candidate for the role. It is important to note that not all employers will require a personal statement, but if done correctly they can help set you apart from other applicants. 

What makes a good personal statement? 

As a personal statement is essentially a summary of the rest of your CV and you as a person, you want to ensure you list all the most important things from your CV that are the most relevant to the job you are applying for. You should never use the same personal statement, when applying for multiple jobs you can use a similar statement for each, but it should be tailored to each individual role if possible. 

How to start a personal statement 

Start your personal statement by introducing yourself and set the tone for the rest of your personal statement.

You want to capture the employer’s interest and summarise exactly why you are a perfect fit for the role. Most personal statement examples start with saying the role you are currently in, how much industry experience you have and key achievements or relevant skills and statistics. 

How to finish a personal statement 

A good way to finish your personal statement is to summarise your overall goal or aim when moving forwards towards this job and your career.  This means you have spoken about the past, present and future, in just a few lines and gives the employer a good idea of you and your potential. 

How to finish a personal statement can vary from role to role, but this is a good rule of thumb and will stand you in good stead, as with any application, tailor it to the job, some may call for this, some may not.

Personal statement do’s

  • Tailor your personal statement - utilise the job description to help you highlight exactly what the employer is looking for, highlight the skills and experience it calls for. The job description is the blueprint to your personal statement for that role, so try and signpost your abilities from the exact things the employer is looking for.
  • Be concise - ensure that you keep your personal statement short and relevant, aim for the maximum of a few lines or around 200 words at most. Find the most important and relevant things that you can say within that word count.
  • Highlight you - candidates have a habit of being too generic and not showcasing themselves, it is called a personal statement, so keep it personal to you. Personal does not mean talking about your dog though, but how you personally can succeed at this job.
  • Include tangibles - always try to give additional details that add value to your application, for instance, quantifying something always makes it sound better. ‘Increased sales by 35%’ sounds better than just saying ‘increased sales’.
  • Hit key points - a good personal statement will be able to give the employer a quick summary of you and entice them to read more or move you forward to the interview stage.
  • Get a second opinion - having someone else read over your personal statement can be a real help, they may spot something you haven’t or not understand something the way you had intended. This will help improve your finished personal statement.  

Personal statement don’ts

  • Use the same wording - you can actually hurt your own chances if you use an overly generic personal statement. You want to show that you have put effort into your application and impress the employer.
  • Make it too long - candidates will often confuse their personal statement with a cover letter, this is a short rundown of you, focus on skills, successes, and statistics, things that can be quickly digested. Grab their attention with your personal statement, but do not bore them with an essay.
  • Go too personal - this may sound strange, but remember you are writing a professional application, and not setting up a dating profile. Focus on what you can bring to the company, and how your skills would be perfect for the role.
  • Send off your first draft - always read over your personal statement a few times to make sure it flows right and rolls off the tongue. Having a spelling or grammar mistake can ruin your chances of getting the job.
  • Be too broad - showing that you understood the job description and are a good candidate for the role can be evident if you have a good personal statement, but being too broad will make you look like you copy and pasted the same response to 20 applications.

What next? 

Now you have a better understanding on how to structure your personal statement to increase your chances of getting your new role, you want to start your job search . Currently at Michael Page, we have over 10,000 live jobs on the site so submit your CV today to become discoverable for new roles added in your industry. 

For more CV and cover letter advice , read through our collective library of articles that’ll help you create a winning CV. 

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Personal Effectiveness

Successful Diary Management – A Guide For Busy Execs

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by SAM WILSON | Mar 30, 2022 | Personal Effectiveness | 0 comments

Successful Diary Management - A Guide For Busy Execs cover

With an ever-growing team of Virtual PAs at Virtalent, I'd estimate upwards of 25% of the time we spend working for our clients is spent on diary management. But what exactly does it take to manage their diary successfully?

In this post, we'll explore what it takes to successfully manage your busy schedule. It's a valuable skill to get to grips with – whether you want to do it yourself or want to know more about the topic so you can feel confident entrusting your schedule to a PA.

What Exactly Is Diary Management?

Yes, the clue is in the name: diary management is the management of your diary. However, don't be fooled, the topic is more complex than that – after all, just about anyone can add an event to Outlook!

Good diary management skills focus on:

  • Scheduling appointments with sufficient buffer time between them, to allow for travel time, pre-meeting preparation or even a much-needed lunch break.
  • Ensuring you are always aware of your commitments and don't miss anything, even if your schedule is changed at short notice.
  • Making sure time is only set aside if (and only if !) there is a clear objective and agenda for each appointment. You need to leverage your time as well as possible and not have it wasted by poorly-run meetings, or meetings you didn't need to go to at all!
  • Trying to match your natural working style with your diary commitments. Perhaps you're an early riser and like to do breakfast meetings, or you prefer to work later and don't like to have any commitments on Friday afternoons, your schedule should be set up to get the maximum out of your working time (not make you feel overwhelmed or ineffective!).
  • Preferably, syncing your diary with your inbox. That is to say, if you delegate diary management, it's often more effective if that same person has access to (and actively manages) your inbox too. Otherwise it's easy for them to miss something and you also have to put in extra work, acting as a go-between between your inbox, your PA and your diary.
  • Checking you have the best technology setup for you . Whether that's a cloud-based solution like Google G Suite or Office 365, or something a little less modern, but more convenient for you, a diary can only be managed effectively if you can, well, easily manage it!

The ultimate goal is to use your time as effectively as possible. That involves a combination of strong technique and the right tools for the job.

diary management tips - virtalent

Practical Tips For Successful Scheduling

On a practical level, there are a number of ways you can better organise your schedule with good diary management. With a little focus and perseverance, these ideas could become valuable, lifelong habits! Here are our top tips.

Colour Code Your Events

A busy diary can be overwhelming. It can be difficult for our brains to process a large block of text and numbers, even if they are sectioned into blocks.

It sounds simple, but try colour coding your calendar events to help your brain work out how your schedule looks for the week, in seconds rather than minutes. For example, your new diary management approach could be to use:

  • Blue for 1:1 internal meetings – you could even use light blue for subordinates and dark blue for meetings with the boss.
  • Yellow for team meetings – again, you could even use a variation of similar colours (e.g. yellow, orange and red) to denote key information.
  • Green for client facing meetings.

… you get the drift!

The main idea is to simply turn a wall of grey text into an organised planner you can look at and, in a matter of seconds, see how your week looks (and how to mentally prioritise accordingly).

Use Naming Conventions

Next, let's look at what you're writing in those colourful boxes: the title of the event.

Again, the key here is to be able to find the information you need at a glance. A sea of names on their own doesn't tell you very much at all. It's going be challenging if every event in my calendar is titled as a variation of "Sam Wilson and Bob Smith".

Perhaps try something like [Event type] – [Name] (Company Name) – [Extra info] , so for example this could be "*Partner meeting (new) – Bob Smith (Smith Inc.) – Coffee @ Starbucks NW1". I added the asterix to the event title to show it would be outside of the office, this time at a Starbucks I like near the British Library.

In just a few words we can see that:

  • The meeting is with a new partner, to explore how the relationship will work going forward. This is as opposed to "existing" or "prospective", for example.
  • It's with Bob Smith from Smith Inc.
  • The meeting with be a coffee meeting (i.e. fairly short and perhaps more informal).
  • This will take place at a Starbucks you visit regularly in London NW1.

It's also perfectly fine to share this event with Bob. It doesn't contain anything you'd rather he didn't read.

Alternatively, a simpler option could be to try using [Their name] <> [Your name]. For example, Bob Smith <> Sam Wilson, if you prefer something shorter and you would rather not share some of the calendar title with the other attendee.

It all depends on your role and your scheduling needs. Play around with a combination of colour coding and well thought out naming conventions. Over time, you should find a pattern that works best for you!

How to manage a diary by Virtalent

Add Important Information To Calendar Entries

Of course, a title is limited to very few characters. Making use of the event description can be the ideal way to sneak in any extra information you need to hand. This could include:

  • A snapshot meeting agenda. Jot down a few bullet points to help structure the meeting and ensure you cover everything you need to.
  • Useful pre-meeting prep. A short bio for each of the prospective clients you're meeting or a summary of actions taken so far.
  • Goals and objectives. What is the overall aim of the meeting? What are you hoping to achieve? Keeping your end goal in mind could help keep the appointment on track and reduce unnecessary 'noise'.
  • Practical information. The address of a venue or the reservation number for your train ticket to get there, perhaps.

It's easy to store much of this information in separate documents or notes, or even just keep it in a folder in your inbox, however it could be useful to keep everything in one place: the calendar you're checking ahead of every appointment you attend!

Be Clear On Timezones

If you travel a lot, timezones enter the equation. You'll naturally have in-person meetings in local time, but perhaps you still have phone calls with a team back at home. This can add a little confusion into the mix, if left unchecked.

I'd recommend you "stick or twist". That's to say, you either keep your online calendar in your home timezone (e.g. the UK), regardless of where you are in the world, and then mentally calculate the time of your meetings – perhaps by knocking off 3 hours so you know when to arrive at any in-person meetings near to you.

Or, alternatively, make sure your calendar updates to your local timezone each and every time you travel. Then make sure you are creating events in this same timezone! This is going to be easier to plan your week as the calendar entries are accurate to where you are in the world at that point, but if you'll still keep regular phone calls with a team back at home, you'll need to factor the time difference into any calendar slots you make available.

If you travel frequently (every 2 days for example), it can be simpler to stick to your home timezone and mentally figure out any local meeting times from there.

Either way works, it just depends on your schedule, the type of appointments you mostly have when travelling (mainly local meetings or calls with a team in the UK) and therefore how you want to manage your diary. The important point is to ensure you stick to one method!

Time Your Meetings Effectively

It's easy to stick to 30 minute or 1 hour increments when tackling your diary management, but is this the smartest way to manage your schedule?

If you set short internal meetings to 25 minutes, for example, this not only helps keep the meeting a little more focused, but you'll find it easier to stack your meetings back-to-back. You now have 5 minutes for the meeting to over run and still head next door for another.

Likewise, longer meetings could be 50 minutes instead of 1 hour.

If you don't need to do much to prepare before each slot, the ability to stack your meetings together can be a valuable practice. Instead of spending 2.5 hours across 3 short meetings – spending 30 minutes, followed by a (completely wasted) 30 minute gap between each one as this feels like the only way to stagger them, you can instead fit 3 slots lasting 25 minutes each into a total of 1.5 hours. That extra hour can then be spent working, not simply aimlessly floating between meetings!

Similarly, are there are ways you could work more efficiently? Try holding a daily 10 minute 'stand up' meeting with your team to set priorities for the day and tackle any issues together with everyone present, instead of waiting for these issues to interrupt the rest of your working day.

Over time, stopping to think about how you manage your diary can make a noticeable impact on your schedule and, ultimately, your productivity!

diary management guide - Virtalent

Set Handy Reminders

Are you making use of reminders? Calendars like Google Calendar will allow you to set multiple reminders per event and receive those reminder notifications by email or notification (a push notification to your phone and/or in-browser notification).

If you're feeling extra clever, you could even use Zapier to send you an SMS message at an appropriate time (for example, send you the meeting details, which includes a brief agenda, 30 minutes ahead of the meeting – this really is diary management 3.0!) or even add important meeting prep to your to-do list.

Reminders can be used to not only ensure you don't forget about the meeting entirely, but can also help you plan for it too. Some ideas could include:

  • Set a calendar reminder the day before travelling to an important meeting meeting, for you or your PA to call to confirm the appointment. This is an extra safeguard to ensure you don't waste time travelling to a meeting that has been forgotten about!
  • Set a reminder 2 hours before a performance review with your boss, followed by another one 20 minutes before. The first will be to ensure you prepare for the meeting (i.e. stop whatever you are doing and work on the prep). The next will be to stop working and get to the meeting ahead of time!
  • Set an email reminder for the time of a sales call. Importantly, don't delete or archive the reminder email until you have sent a post-meeting email to thank the prospect for their time. This extra safeguard ensures that any distractions after your meeting don't stop you from making a great impression!

Keep Tasks In A To-Do List

One last tip would be to keep your calendar entirely separate from your to-do list.

It's so easy to pop a little reminder here and there into your diary (perhaps as all-day events), but these simply clutter up your schedule and make it more difficult to separate your appointments from any work you need to do.

Instead, try using an app like Wunderlist . To-do list apps are a whole other topic, but Wunderlist and others will not only keep your task list better organised (especially compared to keeping tasks in your calendar!), but they also allow you to set due dates and reminders. You can also often view your to-do list items by date; you can just see tasks due today, for example.

This means you don't need to keep reminders in your calendar, but will still be, well, reminded…

Looking for extra advice on staying organised? It goes far beyond good diary management. Take a look at our tips on managing email overload or even try a time tracking tool !

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What is Diary Management?

Mark Ballance

Understanding Diary Management

The benefits of effective diary management, diary management tools and techniques.

  • Establishing a central calendar as a home base for all commitments, personal and professional, forms the nucleus of diary management. The integration of team calendars fosters collaboration and ensures everyone is on the same page.
  • Prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance paves the way for effective time blocking. Allocating dedicated time blocks to different tasks amplifies focus and productivity.
  • Harnessing the art of smart scheduling involves factoring in the preferences of attendees when setting up meetings. Equally crucial is designating undisturbed focus time, free from distractions.
  • Introducing buffer periods between tasks safeguards against overextending and provides breathing room for unforeseen demands. Allowing flexibility within the schedule accommodates unexpected urgencies.
  • Periodic calendar reviews serve as compass points to assess progress and recalibrate objectives. Adapting the schedule to evolving circumstances ensures alignment with goals.

Overcoming Diary Management Challenges

Collaborative diary management, integrating diary management with other tools, the future of diary management.

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17 Diary Management Tips For Busy PAs

17 Diary Management Tips For Busy PAs

Personal assistant diary management is a huge task. Some employers have complex and often overwhelming diaries which can take up huge chunks of your time.

To be a successful PA, it’s imperative to be able to stay on top of your boss's diary, otherwise, it could lead to missed appointments or important life events. So, what can you do to achieve highly effective PA diary management?

In this article, we share our very best diary management tips for PAs.

What Is Diary Management?

Diary management involves managing the diary and day to day life of a business leader. While this task may appear rather straightforward, there’s a lot more to it than simply keeping track of important events.

Key PA diary management tasks can involve:

  • Making the very best use of your time and ensuring that your commitments are fulfilled even if last-minute changes occur
  • Ensuring there is enough time between scheduled appointments for travelling, preparation or lunch
  • Syncing your email inbox to your diary, especially If you’re assigning tasks to others. In this case, allowing them access to your inbox provides an easier way for them to get these tasks completed successfully
  • Leveraging your time to ensure appointments and meetings are well-executed if there is an objective
  • Using the very best technology to manage your diary, whether you’re required to find new tools to work more effectively or upgrade your technology to assist in delegating tasks

For any personal assistant, it’s essential to use your time as effectively as possible. With that in mind, here are some of the best diary management tips for PAs.

Set reminders

Setting helpful reminders is an effective PA diary management tip, especially when it comes to important events/meetings. You can use Google Calendar for email or push notifications or Zapier for text messages to your phone. You could also set reminders for planning to ensure you remember important details. Just make sure that you carefully input dates and times to avoid any mistakes. The devil is in the detail in a PA role.

setting reminders for an effective PA diary management

Respond to appointments

RSVP to appointments once your boss has confirmed their attendance. This helps to prevent any miscommunication with others. Alternatively, you may need to express that your boss hopes to attend if they can’t confirm their attendance. If it’s unclear if a meeting will be a good use of your boss’s time, then ask the meeting organiser for further details so you can help make that call.

Communicate with your boss

Talk to your boss regarding meetings. Keeping an open line of communication allows you to be flexible with your diary to get the very best use of your time. You may be able to move appointments or meetings to manage their time more effectively. Every boss has a different working style so establish their preferences in the first few days of your job.

Colour code important appointments or events

One of the best personal assistant diary management tips is to colour code events or appointments. For instance, you could use green for internal meetings, blue for external meetings, orange for team meetings, and so on. Aside from adding a splash of colour, this helps to break up a wall of black text so you can get an overview of the week and where time is being spent.

Highlight time zones

If you travel regularly, it’s important to note down time zones, especially if you’re communicating with your team at home. You can make calendar updates to include time zones which makes it easier to plan for local events or you can make a note of time differences. Either way, stick to one method to make it straightforward to manage.

Highlighting Time Zones

Keep a handy checklist/to-do list

Keep a checklist separate from your diary. This allows you to prioritise your tasks, as well as clearly viewing what tasks need to be accomplished for the day. Wunderlist is an effective app for keeping a digital to-do list. Alternatively, you can write your tasks down in a notebook or planner. Just make sure you always keep it to hand.

Keep a note of important deadlines

Does your boss have important deadlines coming up? Keep a note of these either with a disclaimer or by colour coding. Important company deadlines need to be met so it's advisable to add them to the diary as soon as you’re aware of them. You’ll also need to communicate with your boss to ensure busy working periods are booked in, and that any other urgent matters are flagged and addressed in order for the project to be successful.

Keep blocks of time free for work

It’s easy to fill your diary with meetings and appointments but keeping blocks of time free for work is necessary, especially if your boss has a lot on his/her plate. To ensure there is adequate time to complete certain tasks on time, avoid booking meetings during these working hours. Keeping an open line of communication with your boss will enable you to plan for essential periods when they need to be at their desk.

Time your meetings

Time your meetings as accurately as possible so you don’t overrun. Instead of planning one-hour slots, your meeting may only last 20 minutes which gives you an extra 10 minutes if you overrun. However, if you’re planning 3 short meetings together, this is an extra half an hour that could be spent on important tasks so it's wise to make the best use of your time. Try fitting meetings into slots that make the most sense rather than simply time blocking as this can increase your productivity rate.

Be informative on calendar entries

Use contact names and company names in calendar entries to avoid confusion. For example, just noting down common names like ‘Ben Jones’ could be confusing if you don’t remember which business they’re from. Instead, try adding [name] – [company] – [event] – [extra information]. You can then colour code entries.

Being informative on calendar entries

Be flexible

A flexible approach can be really beneficial, allowing you to prioritise where time is best spent from moment to moment. While some important meetings may not be able to be moved, ensuring you have some flexibility in your diary helps keep business running smoothly, and allows your boss to be available to respond to important circumstances as and when they crop up.

Weekly planning works well

Weekly planning your diary enables you to plan for the week or weeks ahead, especially throughout busy periods. You may wish to allocate some time on a Friday afternoon to plan your week ahead. You could include important events/meetings/appointments, lunch breaks, planned tasks, personal tasks and activities.

Update your diary every day

Update your diary every morning to keep track of important dates or to allocate time to any unplanned ‘emergencies’. This helps you to notify any colleagues or external appointments of any changes that need to be made, in addition to ensuring you’re not missing any essential tasks.

Note down travel information

Travelling smart means making notes on important travel information. You can use an app or tool, such as Tripit, to keep organised, especially if there is a lot of travel involved. You could also try scheduling online meetings or conference calls where necessary to save time on travelling.

Note Down Travel Information

Understand your boss’s habits

Diary management is very much a balancing act so try to decipher when your boss is at their best. If they are not a morning person, important meetings early in the morning may be a no-no. However, if they tend to be at their most productive in the morning, booking meetings at this time may be highly effective. You may also need to be aware of their personal commitments. Do they need to be at their child’s parents' evening during working hours? Do they have an important vet’s appointment they need to attend? You don’t need to keep track of their social calendar but knowing if there is any work/life conflict can help to keep your diary running smoothly and as effectively as possible.

Be realistic and use common sense

Using your common sense and initiative can make your job a lot easier. Ask your boss what their priorities are so you can successfully plan your diary. Ask yourself: Does your boss need to attend every meeting, or can you delegate these to other team members? Is a meeting necessary or can a decision be made via email? This will help you to avoid wasting unnecessary time on meetings which don’t need to be held.

Stick to an effective system

Once you’ve established an effective system for managing your diary, stick with it. There’s always a lot to manage when it comes to being a personal assistant – one method that works for you may not work for someone else but if it's effective then it's worth sticking with. There’s no right or wrong way so don’t worry too much if someone else doesn’t approve of your style.

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Now you know the most effective diary management tips for PA’s, you can get started in enhancing your diary management to an optimal level.

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Diary Management Tips from Some of Our Top PAs

At our PA recruitment agency, we know just how important diary management is for those doing PA jobs in London. We chatted to some of our best candidates to get the inside scoop on how they manage their diaries effectively. Read on to find out more.

Top diary management tips

  • Set reminders Zoe tells us, “My number one piece of advice is to set reminders. It’s no use putting things in the diary if you then forget them! I use push notifications and alarms, and it really helps to ensure that nothing gets missed.”
  • Use colour “I use Google Calendar and have five diaries synced with my own. It can be crazy!” says Amit. “So, I colour code everything. Each synced diary has a unique colour, and then different things within my own diary have different colours too. I know the colours instinctively so it can really help me make sense of things.”
  • RSVP immediately An invitation comes in and then it languishes in the inbox. Marcus explains how he deals with this: “As soon as possible, I find out whether my boss wishes to attend.  If he does, I reply and diarise it immediately, and make all necessary arrangements as soon as I can.”
  • Add notes to diary entries “To me, the diary is the hub for everything else,” says Vicki. “I don’t just input the schedule entry but I’ll add notes, or even document links, if specific things are needed for that meeting.”
  • Communicate effectively Rebecca responds, “I often think where people fall down with diary management is not realising how much communication is still needed. I talk to my principal, remind them of what’s coming up, and chat about what’s on their schedule.”
  • Note the time zones “Too many scheduling mistakes are time zone mistakes,” says Mirela. “I make sure I include time zone differences within the team calendar so that everyone can see how that impacts others.”
  • Shift things onto the to-do list “When something gets put in the diary, I automatically add any associated tasks to my to-do list,” says Pete. “This means that events are planned well in advance, because they aren’t just waiting until I happen to glance weeks later in the diary.”
  • Be kind with time “I always make sure my boss genuinely has enough time for meetings, enough time for travel connections, and enough time to actually sit and do blocks of work,” says Amy. “So many PAs diarise so much that their boss can’t actually fit it all in. I always try to think about what actually needs to be done in real life, not just virtually in the confines of a calendar! This gives room for flexibility too.”
  • Give enough detail “Diary entries are often meaningless because they don’t include enough detail. This may mean that team members ignore the entry, thinking it isn’t relevant to them,” says Emily. “It’s important to put things like room numbers, delegates, and any other extra useful information, to ensure that the right people pay attention.”

What are your top tips for diary management? Are you an excellent PA ready to take the next step in your career? Get in touch on 020 7870 7177.

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COMMENTS

  1. Diary Management: A Guide - Training Course & Professional ...

    Diary management is the art of efficiently organising and overseeing schedules, appointments, and tasks within a designated timeframe. Whether it’s for an individual or a team, effective diary management involves optimising time, prioritising activities, and maintaining clear communication.

  2. Diary Management Tips for PAs | PA Prive

    Managing a busy diary is no simple task – as every PA will know. Some boss’ diaries are so complex, they employ two PAs, one to work on the diary – the ‘diary PA’ – and one to do everything else. In some industries, such as banking, the diary can be as much as 80% of the PA’s work.

  3. Diary Management Interview Questions and Answers - CareerCliff

    Having a good diary manager means thinking about your boss’s priorities to think outside the box, being creative with the appointment schedule, and deciding on the diary. This means having confidence and autonomy from your boss has been able to manage the appropriate diary to get the job done.

  4. Personal Statements: Examples, Do's and Don'ts | Michael Page

    You want to capture the employer’s interest and summarise exactly why you are a perfect fit for the role. Most personal statement examples start with saying the role you are currently in, how much industry experience you have and key achievements or relevant skills and statistics.

  5. How to write a personal statement for a job | Totaljobs

    When writing a personal statement, avoid generic statements and clichés. Tailor your statement to the job and avoid exaggerations or embellishments. Proofread your statement carefully to eliminate spelling and grammar errors.

  6. Our Top Tips For Successful Diary Management | Virtalent UK

    Strong diary management skills can make a dramatic difference to your long-term productivity and success. Take a look at the guide we've put together!

  7. Diary Management: A Comprehensive Guide - LinkedIn

    Diary management, a skill at the heart of every productive professional, holds the key to orchestrating a symphony of tasks, appointments, and responsibilities. This guide will delve into the...

  8. What is Diary Management? - scheduleit.com

    Diary management is a skill at the heart of every productive professional, and holds the key to organising tasks, appointments, and responsibilities. This guide will delve into diary management, its pivotal role within office dynamics, and provide practical steps on how it can enhanced efficiency.

  9. Top 17 Diary Managing tips For Busy PAs | Oriel Partners

    To be a successful PA, it’s imperative to be able to stay on top of your boss's diary, otherwise, it could lead to missed appointments or important life events. So, what can you do to achieve highly effective PA diary management? In this article, we share our very best diary management tips for PAs. What Is Diary Management?

  10. Diary Management Tips from Some of Our Top PAs

    Top diary management tips. Set reminders. Zoe tells us, “My number one piece of advice is to set reminders. It’s no use putting things in the diary if you then forget them! I use push notifications and alarms, and it really helps to ensure that nothing gets missed.”. Use colour.