Something that every PA will already know is that managing a busy diary is not exactly an easy task. When it comes to certain bosses, their diaries will be so overloaded and complex, they actually end up employing an extra PA just to work on the diary, whereas the other one concentrates on everything else. Depending on the industry you work in, managing the diary can take up around 80% of your time, so it makes sense to know just how to stay on top of it.
When it comes to good diary management, there is a strong need to get the balance of flexibility and decisiveness just right. Being flexible may seem counter-intuitive, and in fact, some PAs are wary of it and refuse to budge when they're asked to do something such as move a meeting. However, it makes sense to remain as flexible as possible in case any last-minute changes need to be accommodated. It also makes sense to stick to one single place where all appointments are written, whether this is handwritten or typed and saved, it doesn't really matter, just as long as you stick to that one place. Here are some more quick tips that will help you when it comes to effective diary management:
Talk to your boss
Good diary management relies on you being fully in the loop, so it's a good idea to sit down with your boss as much as possible. That way you're able to agree with them which meetings can be moved, which meetings you can entrust to someone else and which ones you can send apologies to because your boss won't be able to make it.
RSVP
If your boss has stated that they want to attend a certain appointment, that appointment is going to need a response, so you're going to have to RSVP. Depending on the importance of the appointment, you can either give a definite response by saying your boss will be in attendance, or if you want to keep some flexibility in the diary, your response can be that they 'hope to attend'.
Daily update
Diaries are constantly changing, so that means constantly keeping on top of it with a daily update. Simply by updating your diary at the start of each day will help you ensure that nothing gets missed.
Common sense
One of the most important aspects of diary management is utilising some common sense. If you know your boss, it stands to reason that you'll know what their priorities are, but it's a good idea to always check if you're not 100% sure. If a meeting request comes your way, it could be a good idea to ask yourself some questions such as:
1. Is there a way to do the meeting earlier or later, depending on where there is most space in the diary?
2. Is it absolutely necessary that your boss has to attend the meeting in person? Perhaps they could send a delegate or simply read the meeting minutes.
3. Is the attendance of your boss for the whole meeting necessary? It's a good idea to get a breakdown of the meeting in advance if possible, a lot of the time only a certain section will apply to your boss.
4. Is a meeting even necessary in the first place? Sometimes a meeting can be substituted by a call or a series of emails.