Work Smarter NOT Harder - Productivity Tips

Becoming a Virtual Assistant and mastering it requires time and patience, along with some smart work.

1. Get your basic skills right

This is a key element to starting out as a Virtual Assistant, define your skill sets and think about what you enjoy the most then niche those skills!

2. Get all the right tool set

Think about what you will be using on a daily basis, laptop, phone, software? There are lots of free software options to try before you decide which you like best. We love Canva, Trello, Hootsuite and Slack.

3. Work on a fixed schedule

When will you be working? How many hours will you work each day/week. Plan your schedule, block out time in your calendar for business development, applying for new opportunities, networking, promoting your business, and most importantly some time away from your desk!

4. Work on your home office

Working from home sometimes isn't as great as it sounds, if you are thinking of becoming a Virtual Assistant, you will be working at your laptop for long periods of time. At the very least invest in a desk and a comfortable office chair. Then you can add a lamp, some nice stationery and start to personalise your workspace.

5. Build a plan/strategy

Start your business plan, it doesn't have to be pages long, it can be as simple as setting a few monthly goals that you can work towards to help grow your business. A little progress goes a long way and it's much more achievable if you set aside some time to break things down into manageable and achievable goals.

6. Take regular breaks away from your screen

You need to take regular breaks! Being a Virtual Assistant means hours in front of your screen, so take regular breaks, drink plenty of water and get up and go for a walk even if it's just around the house or garden for 5 minutes. This will help you to re-focus and re-energise ready to take on your next task.

7. Make a list and prioritise

When taking on a new client or task, you need to ensure deadlines are set, achievable and clear. Once you build up your client base, you will be able to organise your daily to do list in order of priority. You will have daily, weekly and monthly tasks that should be planned in your diary, then always allow a couple of hours each week for any rush jobs (which you can charge a premium for!).

There are lot's of things to consider when setting up your Virtual Assistant business but the key is planning and being organised. Things don't always go to plan but if you have a schedule and routine your day to day tasks will become so much easier and you will be growing your business a little each month without even realising.

There are many benefits of hiring a Virtual Assistant

Flexibility

Unlike an employee, Admin Guru can offer an hourly rate for a short or one-off project, a project rate for larger pieces of work or a retainer price for set hours per week.

This provides complete flexibility for small businesses, start ups and sole traders who just need a few hours per week to complete their day to day and one-off administration.

Costs

You only pay for the time that you need with no additional contributions of tax, national insurance and pension.

Skills

Virtual Assistant’s tend to be experienced in all areas of administration.

I have experience in Administrative and PA services, Sales & Customer Service, Operations & Project Management and Finance.

This experience can be utilised in all areas of your business.

Equipment

Virtual Assistants work remotely and have their own IT equipment, software and subscriptions so there are no additional costs to provide an office space and equipment.

Save Your Precious Time & Outsource Daily Tasks

You might wonder what a virtual assistant is. Well, a virtual assistant offers numerous services to businesses or entrepreneurs all from a remote location. These tasks could range from scheduling appointments, managing events to digital marketing tasks and bookkeeping. There are numerous reasons as to why it is important to have a virtual assistant.

Admin-Guru offers a virtual assistant and business support service to entrepreneurs and small businesses in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and surrounding areas. If you are an Entrepreneur or Business Owner who has a lack of time to keep on top of finances, emails, networking and sales follow-ups and are fed up of having to do everything yourself, call Admin-Guru to see how we can help you!

A virtual assistant can save you time and money and increase your productivity. Did you know It is three times cheaper to hire a virtual assistant than a full-time employee? No matter if you’re a small business entrepreneur or the owner of a large corporation, you want to stay cost-efficient. According to research, compared to a full-time employee, a virtual assistant can save you up to 78% on operating costs each year.