When it comes to business, being organized and staying on top of things is key. That’s why it’s essential to incorporate organizational planning into your business trips from the very beginning. It can be a challenge for young professionals to balance work and personal time, but staying connected is vital if you want to get anything done efficiently. Instead of avoiding the task altogether, take advantage of this opportunity and create a system that keeps everyone on the same page. Here are 5 simple tips to improve business trips for your assistants.
Plan Your Day Ahead of Time
Prior to embarking on a trip, figure out the schedule of your day. This will help you plan the amount of time that you’ll spend with each person. Make a note of the times you’ll be meeting with certain clients and schedule time to meet with coworkers as well. Though this isn’t something you can easily control, consider your surrounding environment as well. If you’re in a city with a lot of noise, you may have to sacrifice some of your time with others to focus on your surroundings. If you’re in a rural area, you may be able to focus more on your meeting. By doing this, you’ll be able to plan your day accordingly. You can also choose to block out certain times in your schedule. For example, if you’re meeting with someone in the morning, block out 10 minutes before you have to leave for your appointment. This will give you enough time to get organized, parking assistance, and get into a comfortable state.
Bring a To-Do List
On your next trip, take a small notebook with you and write down everything you need to get done. This can be anything from meeting notes to emails to tasks for your assistant to take care of. When your assistants are in the sky on the private jet, they don’t have easy access to their email. So, this is a great way to stay on top of things without being in a rush. If you want to be extra organized, you can also sync your smartphone with your computer and make a note of everything you need to get done. You can also make a list on Google Sheets so it can be accessed from anywhere. This is an especially helpful tip if your assistant is remote. They won’t get confused and will know exactly what needs to be done.
Stay Connected to Slack at All Times
Maintaining daily communication with your remote assistants is key to staying organized on business trips. Whether it be a simple “How are you doing?” or a detailed “What are you doing next?”, staying in the loop will prevent confusion. Whether you choose to use Google Hangouts, Skype, or another video chat application, it’s essential you communicate with your assistants regularly. It doesn’t have to be every single day. However, it should be at least 3 days before you’re leaving. This will allow your remote assistant time to get used to your schedule and get everything ready for you.
Don’t Assign Individual Assignments for Everyone
Assigning individual tasks for your clients will cause confusion and probably result in more overhead for your assistant. This is because the client will try to follow the assignment, but then the assistant will have to correct what the client did wrong. Instead, create a system where you assign tasks and then track who’s done what. This way, the client doesn’t get confused and the task is completed smoothly. For example, you can create a Google Doc where you track who did what and how much it’s been completed. You can then share this document with your clients so they know what they need to do. You can also create a Trello board where you create categories such as, “Meeting Notes”, “Marketing”, etc. This allows you to move various tasks around as needed.
Have a Daily Meeting
Daily meetings can help you stay connected and prevent confusion. It’s good to have a daily meeting where everyone can share what they did that day and then plan for the next day. This meeting can be virtual or in-person. The meeting can also be scheduled to be at a certain time each day so you can avoid wasting time. By having a daily meeting, you’ll be able to easily share what you did that day and plan ahead for the next day. It will also help avoid confusion. You can also use the meeting as an opportunity to share what you learned while on your trip with a report or presentation. This will help you stay organized and communicate important information to your team.
Conclusion
While it might be difficult to balance work and personal time, you can make it easier with a little planning. By incorporating organizational planning into your business trips from the very beginning, you can experience less stress on the go. If you want to improve business trips for your assistants, you need to ensure that you’re staying organized, staying connected, and not assigning individual tasks to your clients.