Trello for Executive Assistants

As an Executive Assistant, keeping track of numerous tasks and responsibilities can be overwhelming. From managing executive schedules to coordinating travel and handling communication, the demands are endless. I use Trello – my go-to project management and task list tool—to manage everything for Practically Perfect PA If you’ve ever wondered where to start with getting more organised, Trello for Executive Assistants is a great article to help you get started. In this article, we’ll explore why Trello is an excellent tool for EAs and how you can maximise its features to stay on top of everything.

Why Trello?

Trello is a visual task management tool that uses boards, lists, and cards to help organise your tasks and projects. Here’s why it stands out for EAs:

Visual Organisation

Trello is set up so you can see your tasks at a glance. It is super visual, which helps you quickly understand what needs to be done and what’s pending.

With Trello, you can tailor your boards to fit your specific needs. You can create boards for different projects, lists for various stages, and cards for individual tasks. You can easily break each project into tasks with checklists that you can repeat for similar tasks and projects.

Collaboration

Trello makes it easy to collaborate with team members. You can assign tasks, leave comments, and share boards.

Flexibility

Whether at your desk or on the go, Trello is accessible from any device, ensuring you can get organised anywhere.

Daily Checklist for Assistants

Use this checklist to ensure every task you have is managed and executed flawlessly.

Our daily checklist for Executive Assistants is designed to streamline your workflow and ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

Setting Up Trello for Executive Assistants

To get started with Trello, follow these steps to create a system that works for you:

1. Create Your Boards

Think of boards as overarching projects or categories. As an Assistant, you might create boards for:

  • Daily Tasks: A board dedicated to your everyday responsibilities.
  • Travel Planning: Organise all travel-related tasks and details here.
  • Meeting Management: Track meeting schedules, agendas, and follow-ups.
  • Event Planning: Manage events from initial planning to execution.
  • Client Management: Track interactions and tasks related to client relations
  • Project Management: Manage large projects with multiple tasks and team members.
  • Administrative Tasks: Keep track of daily administrative duties and deadlines.
  • Office Management: Organise tasks related to the maintenance and management of the office environment.
  • HR and Recruitment: Manage hiring processes, employee onboarding, and HR-related tasks.
  • Finance Management: Track expenses, invoices, payments, budgets, and financial tasks.

2. Organise with Lists

Within each board, create lists to represent different stages or categories of tasks. For example, in your Daily Tasks board, you might have lists like:

  • To Do: Tasks that need to be started.
  • In Progress: Tasks you are currently working on.
  • Done: Completed tasks.

For Travel Planning, you might have lists such as:

  • Upcoming Trips: Trips that are planned but not yet started.
  • In Progress: Trips currently being managed.
  • Completed: Past trips with all details finalised.

3. Add Cards for Tasks

Cards are where you get into the specifics. Each task gets its own card, where you can add:

  • Checklists: Break down the task into smaller, manageable steps.
  • Due Dates: Set deadlines to ensure tasks are completed on time.
  • Attachments: Upload relevant documents, emails, or links.
  • Labels: Color-code cards for quick identification (e.g., priority level, type of task).

4. Utilise Power-Ups

Trello offers Power-Ups to enhance functionality. Some useful ones for Assistants include:

  • Calendar: Visualise due dates and deadlines in a calendar view.
  • Card Repeater: Automatically create recurring tasks.
  • Google Drive: Attach files directly from your Google Drive.

Trello for Executive Assistants Tips and Best Practices

Once your Trello boards are set up, follow these tips to make the most of the tool:

1. Start Your Day with Trello

Begin each day by reviewing your Trello boards. Check what’s on your To-do list, update progress on tasks, and adjust due dates if necessary.

2. Manage Meetings Efficiently

Create a card for each meeting with all relevant details: agenda, participants, location, and attachments. Use checklists for preparation steps and follow-up actions. If you have Gmail, you can set up the Trello/ Gmail integration to email all meeting paperwork directly to the Trello card. You can also sync your Trello board with your Google Calendar so you never miss a meeting.

3. Organise Travel Plans

For each trip, create a card with all necessary information—flight details, hotel bookings, itineraries, and contact information. Use labels to mark the status of each trip (e.g., booked, confirmed, pending).

4. Maintain Inbox Zero

Link your email to Trello and create cards from emails that require action. This helps maintain an organised inbox and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

Example Board: Travel Planning

Let’s take a closer look at a practical example—setting up a Travel Planning board.

Board Name: (Name of Director) Travel Planning

Lists:

  • Upcoming Trips
  • In Progress
  • Completed

Cards:

  • Card Title: Paris Conference, November 28
    • Checklist:
      • Book flights
      • Reserve hotel
      • Arrange transport
      • Prepare itinerary
    • Due Date: November 25, 2023
    • Attachments:
      • Flight e-tickets
      • Hotel confirmation
      • Conference registration
    • Labels: High Priority, International Travel

Power-Ups: Calendar, Google Drive, World Clock

Example Board: Meetings Management

Here’s an example of a Trello board specifically designed for meetings management.

Board Name: (Name of Director) Meetings Management

Lists:

  1. To Schedule
  2. Scheduled
  3. Agenda Preparation
  4. Follow-Ups
  5. Completed

Detailed Example:

List: To Schedule

  • Card Title: Monthly Team Meeting
    • Checklist:
      • Confirm the availability of all participants
      • Find a suitable time slot
      • Reserve a meeting room or set up a virtual meeting link
    • Due Date: June 30, 2024
    • Labels: High Priority

List: Scheduled

  • Card Title: Q3 Strategy Meeting
    • Checklist:

      • Send out calendar invites
      • Share preliminary agenda
      • Prepare a meeting room or set up a virtual meeting link
    • Due Date: July 10, 2024
    • Labels: Strategy, High Priority
    • Attachments: Link to virtual meeting, preliminary agenda document

List: Agenda Preparation

  • Card Title: Sales Review Meeting Agenda
    • Checklist:
      • Gather reports from the sales team
      • Prepare presentation slides
      • Share draft agenda with participants for feedback
    • Due Date: July 15y 15, 2024
    • Labels: Sales, Medium Priority
    • Attachments: Draft agenda, sales reports

List: Follow-Ups

  • Card Title: Budget Planning Meeting Follow-Up
    • Checklist:
      • Send meeting minutes to participants
      • List action items and assign responsibilities
      • Set deadlines for action items
    • Due Date: July 20y 20, 2024
    • Labels: Finance, Follow-Up
    • Attachments: Meeting minutes document

List: Completed

  • Card Title: Product Launch Meeting
    • Description: All tasks related to the product launch meeting have been completed.
    • Checklist:
      • Confirmed all action items are assigned
      • Distributed minutes and necessary documents
      • Due Date: July 25y 25, 2024
    • Labels: Product, Completed

Additional Tips:

  • Power-Ups: Utilise the Calendar Power-Up to visualise meeting dates and deadlines.
  • Comments: Use the comments section to keep track of discussions and updates.
  • Due Dates: Set due dates for each task to ensure timely completion.
  • Checklists: Break down each meeting task into smaller, manageable steps with checklists.

Trello is more than just a task management tool—it’s a comprehensive system that can help EAs streamline their workflow and increase productivity. By customising boards, lists, and cards and utilising Trello’s powerful features, you can manage your varied responsibilities with ease and efficiency. Explore Trello today and discover how it can transform your organisational skills and keep you on top of your game.

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