Admin Collective - Virtual Assistant -Tash Budd

Inbox overhaul.... Complete!

We started with a new client recently who had an out of control inbox. Like, thousands of emails, some unread and some read but not dealt with.

On the first day, we got it down from 12,000 to 24 live items. This was done by strategic sorting, not by 'select all' and archive. (And now down to 6 live items today!)

We're still working with this client, overseeing that inbox and keeping it categorised so there's actual structure in there. So when they open it up, they can find the important stuff first, not lost in the clutter. They can get in, get out, and get on with the important work.

That's the real value of handing this over. It's not a one-off clean-up, it's ongoing support to stay streamlined and in control.
However if you're in desperate need of a one off inbox overhaul, Heather looooves that stuff!
Reach out, and we can get in there and declutter for a fresh (happy) place again.

We all have those tasks that seem simple... until someone else needs to do them. And not everyone learns from reading instructions.

So instead of writing a long list of instructions, try recording your screen while you complete the task. A quick Loom (or even a Teams or Zoom recording) lets you explain what you're doing *and why* you're doing it.

A few tips to make it useful:
• Keep it short - 5 to 10 minutes is plenty.

• Talk through your thought process, not just the clicks.

• Give the video a clear name so it's easy to find later.

• Store it somewhere your team already works, like SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, or Google Drive.

Your future team members, and your future self, will thank you.

How does your business document its processes? Do you prefer written instructions, video walkthroughs, or a mix of both?

Waiting for a webpage to load? Quickly check your phone....

It's amazing how quickly a "quick scroll" on your phone can turn into five minutes... and by then, you've forgotten what you were working on in the first place.

It's not always the big interruptions that affect our productivity. More often, it's the small habits that quietly break our focus throughout the day.

I've shared a few simple ways to reduce those interruptions and protect your focus in my latest blog.

https://www.admincollective.co.nz/blog/post/166629/why-being-busy-isnt-the-same-as-being-productive/

What's the biggest distraction that pulls you away from your work?

I almost wrote a post saying "this award isn't about me" because I didn't even enter it. Some kind person nominated me for the Virtual Assistant Network New Zealand Community Contributor Award.

But then I realised, it is actually about me 🫣. Not in an ego way. In a "this is who I am in this community" way.

Here's the thing about the VA world that people outside it don't always get. We are all technically competitors. Same industry, same kind of clients, similar services. And yet the VA community is built on the opposite of competition. It's built on community.

Being able to walk alongside other VAs, cheer them on, share what I know, and genuinely want them to thrive, even though we run similar businesses, is a real privilege.

So however it falls on the night, this nomination, and being a finalist, already means alot. It means I've shown up as me, for this community, and it's been felt. And that matters more than an award ever could.

Thank you to whoever nominated me 🌸

Thanks to the Virtual Assistant Network New Zealand, and to Juicy CRM for sponsoring the award.

How awesome for two of our team to be named finalists in the Top Performing Team Member category at this year's Virtual Assistant Network NZ Awards!!

We wouldn't be a collective without them. That's not just a nice line, it's a fact! Being a VA means working remotely, often unsupervised, trusted to just get on with it. No one watching over your shoulder, no one checking in every hour. These two show up, deliver, and really add value for our clients every single time. That kind of trust is everything in this industry, and I have full trust in these ladies.

I wish both Jolene and Heather all the best for on the night, and can't wait to celebrate this achievement in September.

Big thanks to Virtual Assistant Network New Zealand, and OCLAW for sponsoring the award.

Name your files properly from the start.

"Document1_final_FINAL2" is how seconds, minutes and then hours are lost.

A simple naming system, date, client, what it is (20260706_JohnDoe_StrategyNotes),
- or -
Dept, type of doc, version, date (HR_Leave_Request_Policy_v3_20260706)

This means you (or whoever's helping you) can find anything in seconds instead of digging through folders. And clearly shows how old the document is.

You don't need to go back and rename every document on file, but decide on the naming convention that works for you, and update the name as you review, or modify a document.

Thinking about getting a VA but keep putting it off?

A lot of people do, and it's usually because the setup feels like too much on an already full plate.

Here's the truth: yes, there's a bit of upfront work. Sorting logins, pulling together some notes on how you like things done etc. And it takes a couple of weeks for your VA to really get their feet under the desk.

But that couple of weeks goes fast, and what you get on the other side is worth it. Someone who knows your business, takes things off your plate, and just gets on with it.

If overwhelm is what's stopping you from starting, that's usually the sign you need this most. We need to chat.

People may assume a VA agency means one overworked person juggling everyone's inbox.

It's not. Behind Admin Collective is a small group of people who each specialise in something, some are sharp with numbers and handle bookkeeping and accounts admin, others bring years of EA experience and are unflappable under pressure, and some are brilliant with inbox triage and diary management that's not a business owners favourite thing to do.

Most of our team cover more than one of those skills too, so a client isn't juggling three different people for three different tasks, they get matched with one person who can handle the range of what they need. And if a specialised task comes up, we find the right person for the job within the team.

When a client gets matched with someone, it's not random. It's because that person actually fits how they work.

I lost my job during COVID, like many others.

What I noticed in the months after was that businesses had just spent a year proving they didn't need everyone sitting in an office together, work still got done, and deadlines still got met.

At the same time, the economy was shaky and a lot of business owners weren't in a position to take on full-time staff, even if they needed the support. Hiring felt like a risk a lot of people weren't happy to take.

That gap is where this business bloomed. Not every business needs, or can afford, a full-time hire. But plenty of them need help. Outsourcing to someone outside the building stopped being unusual and started being

The need for administration support was clearly there, demand came in fast, faster than I expected. Within a short time I'd gone from doing this on my own to building it into an agency, bringing on team members so we could actually keep up with what businesses needed..... administration support to keep their business operating at a high level, without the commitment of an employee.

Five years on, the gap's still there. So are we.

📸 Inside the Vietnam Chu Chi Tunnels (it was tight in there!)