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.
