Abby O. became an executive assistant over 5 years ago—first in the veterinary industry and then in the medical field. Her background in assisting professionals in various disciplines set her up for working smoothly and productively with several executives through Double. We talked to her about what she’s learned as a double and how organization and responsiveness defines her work.
Bio
Name: Abby O.
Location: Upstate New York
Experience working as an assistant: 5+ years
Hobbies: Reading and working on writing her first book
Abby’s work experience 📋
Do you have any go-to software or tech tools that support your work as an executive assistant?
I love using World Time Buddy (a world clock and time zone converter) to compare time zones and schedule meetings!
What motivates you and what makes you productive in your work?
Organization and productivity. I love to get things done! I use a simple checklist—I enjoy checking things off and the satisfying feeling of accomplishing tasks.
Abby’s experience with Double 👪
Why do you like being a double?
I like being a double because I love working remotely and being able to be matched with several executives with different working styles, needs, and projects of all types!
What projects are you working on currently?
At the moment, I’m working on cleaning up the inboxes of several executives, so they are as close to zero as possible—”Project Inbox Zero” is my speciality.
What are all of the things you did today as a double assistant?
- Inbox management
- Calendar scheduling
- Creating and managing appointments
- Coordinating travel details
What do you consider to be the most important skills that make a successful double?
The most important skill a double could have is responsiveness. I truly believe it’s the key to success, especially when working on tasks delegated to you.
Communication is incredibly important between assistants and executives. What’s your communication style like? Do you have any tips or strategies when communicating as a double?
My communication style is all over the place—it depends on the executive I’m working with and what exactly it is I’m working on. I try to make myself as available as possible, so I always conform to what works best for my executives. I make sure to be available in as many ways as possible: on Slack, the Double app, text, phone, email, Google chats—whatever works best for the team I'm supporting.
Advice for others 💭
Do you have any advice for someone starting a career as an executive assistant?
Organization and responsiveness is key! Make sure you have all the tools that will enable you to be as productive as possible. For me this means a fully equipped home office setup with laptop, dual monitors, and a printer—and I always have stamps handy!
Do you have any advice for executives who are working with an assistant?
The biggest piece of advice I have for executives is: DELEGATE! Always delegate administrative tasks to your assistants. We are here to help! We WANT to help! We’re here to help you focus on the more important matters, let us handle all the rest