EA Resources

for Crisis Management and Emergency Preparedness

EA Resources for Crisis Management

For many EAs, your job has recently become a lot more complicated. As you navigate working from home, maybe for the first time and potentially even alongside your children, you’re also working your hardest to go above and beyond for your executives to provide some sense of certainty and normalcy for them. We know this is not easy.

We also know that Base is well-suited to help. We have pointed all of our resources to help you succeed in your role – to really wow your executive through courageous help and ambitious growth. Whether it’s our suite of features built to help you and your executive focus on what matters (no matter where you are!) or comprehensive resources curated especially for you in this moment, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to find peace amidst chaos.

We’ll continue to aggregate resources here, as well as create original content and templates that are helpful in this stressful time. Have a great resource to share? A link to a helpful article, a template you’ve created, or even an idea for a resource we could create? Email us at resources@basehq.com.

All info current as of March 2020.

Sections

COVID-19 Information

There’s a lot of information (and misinformation) about COVID-19 out there. Look for real stats, info from health professionals, and reputable news sources.

Tips on How to Wow Your Exec

EAs, now is your time to shine! Your execs will need all the support they can get in this time of uncertainty. Proactivity and empathy are crucial right now – both to provide the best support possible and to show how valuable you are to your team.

Working Remotely

While some EAs are used to working remotely, we know that many are used to being right outside their exec’s office, with quick access to resources. We’ve pulled together some info on best practices for working remotely.

Specifically for Assistants:

Overall Remote Guides

General Posts and Tips

Team & Engagement

Tools

There are so many great tools out there that facilitate remote work! Don’t be afraid to try them out – many are offering discounts or free access for the foreseeable future.

For video and conference calls

For remote collaboration

Physical Tools

For travel

  • TripIt (Pro version currently free)

General

  • Pikup – connect with neighbors for errands and grocery trips

Travel

Operations & Workflows

EA workflows will need to adapt during remote work and in stressful times. Some things to consider:

Most in-person meetings will need to become video or phone calls. It’s very important to distinguish what type of call each will be, and to be clear on time zones.

Sending your exec a daily digest will help make sure you are both still aligned on priorities, schedule, and project updates.

If you’re not used to working from home, it’s helpful to map out your work day/week so you can stay productive and keep boundaries on when and how you work. You’ll also want to set (and keep!) boundaries for when you work – scheduling your emails is helpful with this.

If you’re used to circulating documents (and even birthday cards around the office for signatures, you can easily switch to online versions.

Have more time on your hands? Now is a great time to document processes, emergency procedures, contact lists, etc.

Self-care & Learning

EAs are great at taking care of other people; but it’s so important right now to take care of yourself as well. Stay healthy, manage stress, put family first.

If you have extra time on your hands, there are plenty of free online trainings and learning opportunities!

Happy & Calm Things

Take breaks, and make sure there are moments of brightness in your day!

Kids and COVID-19: Childcare, college closures, etc.