Your company recently hired a new administrative assistant, Maryam Arjmand. On her first day, you stopped by her desk to meet her. During your conversation, you told her to let you know if there was anything you could do for her in order to help her get settled in her new job. Since then, Maryam has called you whenever she has a question. Sometimes the questions are about urgent items, but on other occasions, they are not. Assisting her usually takes just a few minutes, but sometimes it takes longer.

Maryam probably calls you about eight times a day. Helping her so much is affecting your ability to get your work done. There are two administrative assistants in Maryam's department who you know would be happy to help her. Maryam, however, doesn't know them very well and is more comfortable asking you.

How can you continue to assist Maryam and to encourage her to ask questions about things she doesn't understand while controlling the inroads her interruptions make on your time?