This week is Administrative Professionals’ Week and Wednesday, today, is the day to recognize the Administrative Professional who is so dedicated to your business needs.

Administrative Professionals Day formerly known as Secretary’s Day is an unofficial secular holiday observed on the Wednesday of the last full week of April (i.e. April 26, 2006; April 25, 2007; April 23, 2008), to recognize the work of secretaries, administrative assistants, receptionists, and other administrative support professionals.

National Secretaries Week was created in 1952 through the work of Harry F. Klemfuss of Young & Rubicam, in conjunction with the National Secretaries Association, now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP). His goal was to encourage more people to consider careers in the secretarial/administrative support field. Using his skill and experience in public relations, Klemfuss promoted the values and importance of the job of administrative assistants. In doing so, he also created the holiday in recognition of the importance of administrative assistants.

The official period of appreciation/”celebration” was first proclaimed by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Charles Sawyer as “National Secretaries Week,” which was held June 1-7 in 1952, with Wednesday, June 4, 1952 designated National Secretaries Day. The first Secretaries’ Day was held in that year by the National Secretaries Association (now the IAAP), with the support of an association of corporate groups.

In 1955, the observance date of National Secretaries Week was moved to the last full week of April. The name was changed to Professional Secretaries Week in 1981, and became Administrative Professionals Week in 2000 to encompass the expanding responsibilities and wide-ranging job titles of administrative support staff.

Over the years, Administrative Professionals Week has become one of the largest workplace observances. The event is “celebrated” worldwide, bringing together millions of people for community events, social gatherings, and individual corporate activities recognizing support staff with gifts of appreciation. In the United States, the day is often “celebrated” by giving one’s assistant flowers, candy, small gifts, lunch at a restaurant, and time off.

The International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), the sole official sponsor of Administrative Professionals Week and Administrative Professionals Day, suggests that employers show their support for the holiday, and their staff, by providing training opportunities for their administrative staff, whether through continuing education, self-study materials, or seminars.

Administrative Professionals Day is a registered trademark with registration number 2,475,334 (serial number 75/898930). The registrant is the International Association of Administrative Professionals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administrative_Professionals’_Day

For more information on Administrative Professionals’ Week, visit http://www.iaap-hq.org/APW/apwindex.htm.

Don’t forget to honor that special Administrative Professional with flowers, a gift, lunch or maybe even the afternoon off!

My apologies for not having kept up with my blog. My mother-in-law became ill and was in the hospital for a couple of weeks before she passed away. She was 83 years old and had lived a good and long life but she was also a smoker which made it that much more difficult for her lungs to handle the illness. My husband also came home sick from work one night. It turned out to be a nasty case of influenza. We have all taken a turn with influenza in our household. So with the time needed for personal reasons, I have been very busy trying to get caught up on things. I hope to take my own advice though and work through time management issues so that things don’t fall too far behind when things like this happen. These are things you always need to be somewhat prepared for, however, death and illness are always unexpected, no matter how prepared you may think you are. I guess that’s why the backup plan is always something to have worked out in case of emergencies such as these. Normally when I am super busy, my backup plan is to delegate work to my family and in this case, that was not even a possibility. I know that I am not the first Virtual Assistant to have this kind of thing sneak up on them when they are unprepared so this is a good reminder for those of us who haven’t already got a backup plan in place. I was fortunate this time in that I did not have any immediate deadlines however it still puts a person behind when you lose 10 days of work time.

I have worked very hard to stay organized. The toughest part for me is to keep my family out of my office and to leave my office supplies in my office. I found a really great article for WAHMs for getting organized and hopefully staying organized.

Organization tips for WAHMs

Work At Home Mom Tips For Getting Organized

Do you have piles of papers on your desk? Is there a stack of receipts shoved in your drawer? Do you ever find yourself looking for a phone number that you just know you wrote down somewhere? If you are suffering from a lack of organization, here are some suggestions on how to tackle it.

It is no secret that having a disorganized work area is counter productive. By getting organized - and staying organized, you will be able to get more work done in less time.

If you are computer-friendly, you may be familiar with the program Outlook. You can use Outlook to keep track of your emails, your daily schedule, your to-do list, client phone numbers and email addresses and more. You can even synchronize your MP3 player to Outlook and keep all of your info with you wherever you go!

For those that are not as technology advanced, you can still get organized by using old-fashioned paper products. If you do not have a planner, get one! There are many kinds of planners to choose from, in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Find one that fits your needs and use it to keep track of doctor appointments, school meetings, your work schedule, etc. Set up a client database to keep track of phone numbers, emails and other information. You can do this by getting some 4″ x 6″ index cards and a recipe box.

April 15 is a day that many Americans dread - it is the due date for your taxes! An easy way to keep track of recipes is to get a hanging file folder and 12 manila envelopes. Have one envelope for January, one for February and so on. During the month, throw all your receipts in the corresponding envelope. When the month is over, tally up your receipts and write it on the outside of the envelope. That way, when tax time comes, most of your work will already be done.

By taking some time each day to “take care of the little things” you will stay organized, feel less stressed, and get more work done!

I use my planner and technology both but I wouldn’t be without my planner and my laptop computer. I find it works well to look at my planner the night before and again the next morning to know what my day looks like and to make sure nothing is overlooked. Best of luck getting and staying organized!

Amy

From what you can see by my blog, time management is lacking. I haven’t written many posts here and it is only due to my inability to manage time well with a busy family and a busy schedule too. Time management sure is a tricky thing at times when you have younger children. My children age from 19 all the way down to 4. I have 3 children still at home. Eric is 15, Charlie is 7 and Sydney is nearly 5. The boys are in school now but Sydney is only in school 3 afternoons a week at this point. And even teenagers at age 15 can make your schedule difficult at times. I read a really great article on time management and thought I would share…

WAHM Time Management

Manage your time working from home

Many people assume that work at home moms have it easy; however, if any of those people have ever lived a day as a WAHM they would know it isn’t so simple. There are children to take care of, a house to clean, a dog to walk, groceries to buy, dinner to cook and dishes to wash. Oh, and then there’s that business to work!

It may not be easy, but it isn’t impossible, either. By using some simple time management tricks, a WAHM can find time to “get it all done!” One thing every WAHM should have is a planner. Schedule your family time first! Then schedule in the time you are going to work your business. Once you have your “work time” scheduled, make it a priority to stay focused on your business during those hours. It is very easy to procrastinate when you are a WAHM.

If your work requires you to do lots of different tasks, try to group similar tasks together. For instance, if you are in a direct sales business and you have a team under you, designate one day to be your “training day”. Instead of helping various team members throughout the week, schedule all of your mentoring sessions for one day. Set aside an hour in the morning and an hour in the late afternoon to respond to email and/or return phone calls. By scheduling that time in, you will find that you are able to get more work done and feel less scattered.

You might also consider outsourcing some of your activities. If you find that you are spending too much time on responding to email, returning phone calls, or updating your website, hire a virtual assistant to do those tasks for you. This will free your time up to work on your business, and by spending more time on the parts of your business that actually bring in money, you will be able to increase your profits.

You can also save time by setting aside a block of time each week to do your “regular” errands, such as grocery shopping. If you plan your meals for the week and go to the grocery store once, you will save lots of time during the week by not taking those daily “quick trips to the market”. And while you are planning your meals, try to schedule a few “cook once, eat twice” days. For instance, you can plan on having spaghetti on Monday and tacos on Tuesday. So, on Monday, brown the hamburger you will need for both days. On Tuesday, half of your work will already be done. And if you are making a meatloaf or lasagna, make two and freeze one for later.

Most importantly, do not feel as if you have to do it all by yourself. You are not a super hero. If you have a spouse or significant other, ask them to chip in on household chores. Children love to help out, and depending on their ages, there are multiple things they can do. And when it is all said and done, don’t forget to take out some time for yourself. Everyone needs a break- WAHMs included!

I wish I could afford to hire a Virtual Assistant however that is my job title and so I will continue to use the planner and delegate duties to family members and stay organized and pray that all goes well every day!

amy

I received an email today from the Glendive Chamber of Commerce today and had to share it with you. I felt very honored to have been nominated for the award, let alone winning the yearly award for New Business of the Year in 2007. I do have one comment and that is that the “five” states that I have clients from is an inaccurate statement in that it is more than five states, however that is very insignificant to me. I am so very grateful for the award and their thoughtfulness in choosing me and my business. I feel very honored to have won the award for 2007 New Business of the Year. Here’s what their email said:

“Good Morning!

Thank you to all of you that were able to attend our Chamber Banquet this last weekend. It was a great evening with wonderful food served by the Yellowstone River Inn. Several awards were given out during the banquet to some very deserving recipients. Kathy Ackerman from the Beautification Committee presented the first award to Triple T Meats for the beautification of their business located on North Merrill. Denise Fink presented the Success In Progress award on behalf of the ACT Committee to The Enchanted Room for their success in 2007. Jason Quale presented the Chamber Member of the Year award to Norman Unterseher for all his work with the Caviar Committee, Domestic Violence, Zion Lutheran Church, and all the other projects he is involved in. Steve Moore presented the New Business of the Year award to Amy’s Office - Amy Goble. Amy and her family relocated to Glendive from Minot just under a year ago and is a virtual assistant with clients in five different states. Lana Warner presented the Jim and Mary Carter Award to the very deserving Terry Hood family for all their work and dedication to beautifying downtown Glendive during the Holidays. A new award was created this year. After lengthy discussion about this person that is involved in everything from owning a business with her spouse, instrumental in the creation of the Farm to Table project, involved in Healthy Communities, Gateway to Opportunity, Greater Glendive Foundation, Miss Montana Program, and everything in between, we felt the only appropriate thing to do is create some history. Peggy Iba is the first recipient of the Outstanding Community Leader Award. Thank you again to everyone that attended and those that took the time to set up displays and congratulations to this year’s recipients.

Kim”

The funny thing is that I hadn’t even planned on attending the Annual Chamber Awards Banquet with all the other things my family had going on that same evening but Kim (who already knew I had been chosen for this award) sent me two emails the night before just to let me know that I “may” have been nominated and that it would be great if I would be able to attend. So, I got the message and made it a point to attend. And apparently, it was worth attending, even though it meant juggling family schedules around a bit just to be there.

I attended my second chamber of commerce meeting. I was not all that impressed with the membership however the people that did attend were a wealth of information. There were only 7 in attendance. I didn’t have much to contribute at this point, being the only home-based business owner in attendance. The topics that were discussed were about upcoming merchant events and most of it does not involve home-based businesses. It is still nice to know what is coming up and have the opportunity to put in my 2 cents as well.

Today’s meeting was about the upcoming holiday events such as Oktoberfest, Haunted Hollow, Festival of Trees, the theme for the lights parade and holiday shopping season as well as holiday baskets and Tour of Homes. This year’s theme for the lights parade and holiday season will be “Holly Jolly Christmas”, leaving it more open and upbeat for everyone this year. The lights parade is to be held on the Friday after Thanksgiving and the Festival of Trees will be held on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. I guess they only do the Tour of Homes every other year and it was held last year so this is not something the chamber need be concerned with for this year. Another topic of discussion was the holiday baskets that each business will give away twice a week for the shopping days before Christmas.

The upcoming Oktoberfest sounds fun. There will be booths at the fairgrounds, RV Parking available, hayrides and a dance in the exhibit hall, all being held October 13th and 14th. Haunted Hollow will be held October 20th.

Anyway, I think I will attend the next meeting as well. Who knows… maybe it will be beneficial, at some point, for my business too. The only way to find out is to attend! So, until next month’s meeting…

Virtually yours,

Amy L. Goble, MVA

Amy was interviewed by Emilie Boyles, Anchorwoman for KXGN-TV channel 5 in Glendive, Montana. The interview was recorded on July 24, 2007. It aired on the radio three times and once on channel 5’s Eastern Montana News. If you are interested in listening to the interview, there is an audio clip on Amy’s website. Click here to listen. You will enjoy the background noise almost as much as the actual interview. My family loves me so much.

Guess what?! I received my MVA Certification just yesterday! This was something I should have done a long time ago but for one reason or another, put on the back burner. Well, I finally submitted my application this summer. The other day I received a phone call from Shirley at IAVOA/VACertification.com and she told me she had emailed me with the logo to add to my website and that the certificate was in the mail to me. How exciting is this? I couldn’t believe it! Because I had put it off for so long, it was great to finally achieve this honor! I am listed in the directory at VACertification.com if you are interested.

And, just in case you have no idea what a Master Virtual Assistant (MVA) is, the website for VA Certification gives the following definition:

“MVA (Master Virtual Assistant) is the pinnacle of the certification program. This level consists of VAs who have expanded their education with additional courses pertaining to their practice and who have more depth of experience by taking on a variety of tasks and projects.”

You can find out more about VA Certification, which includes both the Professional Virtual Assistant (PVA) and the MVA designations by visiting VACertification.com. There you’ll also find the standard of ethics for MVAs and PVAs, as well as the MVA/PVA Certification Directory.

Have a great week! I know I sure am!

Virtually yours,

Amy L. Goble, MVA

I have written my very first Newsletter (Ezine) - Alternative Business Solutions by Amy’s Office. The program I used to create my Newsletter was iContact. It was very easy to follow and allows you a 15 day free trial. The cost was a little lower than some others such Vertical Response or Constant Contact.

In my first Newsletter, I included a Feature Article, Small Business Resources, Spotlight Business, In the News (press releases/articles), Spotlight VA, VA Resources, and much more. I am new to newsletters and am hoping that my readers will give my their input with each new issue. At this time, I am uncertain as to whether I will have the time to devote to a monthly newsletter or a quarterly newsletter.

If you are interested in reading my first Newsletter and giving me your input, go to my home page (Amy’s Office) at http://www.amysoffice.net. Toward the bottom of the page, under What’s New? there is a form to sign up for my Newsletter. The first Newsletter is scheduled to go out on Monday, August 20, 2007. Happy reading!