To VA or not to VA: the benefits of a virtual assistant

Goals and checklists are good, but if your day is not enough to fulfil all your tasks and responsibilities, you end up delivering work that is not at par with the quality expected or you suffer from burnout, fatigue and other illnesses. Managing time and obligations is one of the biggest challenges of entrepreneurs. Some of them turn for help by hiring virtual assistants who can do certain jobs on their behalf. It is an option to unload one from mundane work to focus more on urgent matters in the business.

What is a VA?

A virtual assistant or VA is someone who provides backend support to your business or personal projects online. They manage things remotely based on what you assign them to fulfil. Mode of communication is through e-mails, messaging apps and online meeting platforms.

There are different kinds of virtual assistants. Some operate solo, while others belong to a group. A VA can be a digital nomad, transferring from one place to another, or based in one location alone. You can choose the capacity and expertise you need from a VA as some are more adept on administrative work, while others act more like consultants and business managers. They need to have some level of skill and proficiency because they can handle things themselves with less supervision.

What does a VA do?

There is a wide range of things that a VA can accomplish, depending on your needs. A VA can answer your emails, set up your schedules, coordinate your travels, create reports, manage your social media accounts, do clerical work, and other tasks that you can delegate. If you are hiring a VA based on expertise, you can designate your VA to do sales and marketing, bookkeeping and accounting, copywriting and content generation, or other specialised jobs.

What are the benefits of having a VA?

Before you consider hiring a VA, examine first if you need a VA or not. It is not a guarantee that getting a VA will not pose any problem to you or your enterprise. It may either work for you or not. That is why it is understandable if you have apprehensions of getting someone from a remote location do things for you. If this is the case, talk to other business owners who have done it successfully. EO Melbourne is one venue where you can seek answers to your questions through the experiences of entrepreneurs who have benefitted from having a VA.

For a start, take into consideration the advantages of a VA before you discard the idea.

Time-saving and faster output

Spending half a day going through your e-mails and replying to them can be draining and less productive. But if you have someone who can organise your correspondences, showing you only what’s urgent, then you can devote your time to more important matters in your business. With a VA, you can delegate tasks that may not require your immediate attention, saving you time and enabling you to produce outputs at an accelerated rate.

Focus on essential tasks

If you review your checklist of tasks and rank them according to urgency, you’ll find that many trivial things take your mind away from your big roles. Organising your contact list, sending out invites, following-up people and similar activities can often blur your concentration on decision-making responsibilities. A VA can take over some of those tasks so you can focus on more essential things that can allow you to steer your business towards your goal.

Quality work

Having a busy schedule is not a sure-fire formula to success. If you’re too hands-on in every aspect of the venture and you’re all over the place, you may miss out on important matters or deliver haphazard service, which can cause your business to suffer in the long run. You need someone like a VA to help you carry the load and enable you to produce quality work that can appeal to your clients and customers.

Fills in gaps

A VA can help you fill in the gaps and take care of the details that you might have missed. With all the action items you need to tick off, it is inevitable that you’ll forget or overlook something. Cover all bases by getting a VA that can make sure that nothing slips through.

Flexibility

When you know there’s someone who attends to your business while you are out of the office, you can go to a client meeting or sales call or spend a vacation with your family with some peace of mind. The VA can do the work you assigned on specific periods or as needed, so it allows you to be flexible in your business as well.

Efficient use of budget

Since the VA does not occupy office space and use supplies and equipment, you get to save on your budget. Also, it is more cost-efficient to maintain a VA than a physical office secretary. The VA takes care of filing for individual taxes and benefits. It’s also value-for-money to have someone do things for you than you doing things on your own, which may make your operations suffer along the way.

Where and how to find a VA

If indicators in your assessment point to more advantages of hiring a VA than not having one, then you have to find a person that fits your requirements. First, list down the qualities you are looking for in a VA. Then write the tasks you need to delegate to this person. The hunt begins when you have determined the kind of VA you want.

Freelance websites like Upwork, Freelancer, Guru, Toptal, Peopleperhour, VAnetworking, and TaskRabbit, to name a few, can provide you access to millions of prospective VAs. Check out other sites and consult with other entrepreneurs where you can mine great talents for your business.

5 ways entrepreneurs relieve their stress

Business owners choose the entrepreneurial route because it affords them the freedom to create and chart their path. However, the flipside is the responsibility that goes with the role. Hiring people meant being accountable to his staff’s livelihood. As a business leader, he has to steer his team towards bigger things. As the person behind his business, he has to deliver his brand’s promise to clients and customers.

With goals to achieve, targets to meet and tasks to accomplish, entrepreneurs often find themselves in a pressure cooker where stress comes from different directions. Stress, if not managed carefully, may affect one’s well-being. It may result in body pains, illnesses, anxiety, depression, or physical, emotional or mental ailment.

Some EO Melbourne members have revealed how they relieve the stress that comes with the role and what preoccupies them outside of work that motivates them to keep going.

1.) Time with family and friends

The family is the primary reason that motivates business owners to push themselves forward. They find fulfilment in providing for their families and partners and keeping them happy. For entrepreneurs who have little kids, they prefer to be present during the formative years of their children. Spending quality time with their families and loved ones is a priority for most business owners.

Busy entrepreneurs also de-stress by socialising and going out with friends. Often, it would be through enjoying great food or having a few drinks. They would often surround themselves with like-minded individuals, such as their peers in EO Melbourne, where they share and listen to experiences of other entrepreneurs whom they trust and respect. Such stories inspire them to make a mark and boldly go.

2.) Travelling to other places

Going for a holiday is the most liked activity of entrepreneurs that could help take their minds away from work and recharge themselves. Most of them travel with their families, which makes the experience even more satisfying. Others love the outdoors, and they would often set aside time for a short getaway to go camping, fishing or visiting their farm.

3.) Physical activities

Sweating it out is also a good way to free the body and mind from the pressures that come with the role of being a business owner. Because of their busy schedules, the only way for most entrepreneurs to de-stress is to hit the gym or do some exercise. There are a few that spend their mornings or weekends running or cycling. Taking up a sport is also one of the things other entrepreneurs do to refuel. Some are involved in snowboarding, skiing, swimming, surfing, motorsports or golf. But for those who are not very sporty, they find delight watching their favourite team or cheering for their kids playing.

4.) Honing the mind

Meditation is one of the activities that a lot of business owners have been doing to clear their minds. Some entrepreneurs take themselves off the grid, keep themselves away from their gadgets and TV, spend a quiet moment reflecting, or rest their bodies and minds through enough sleep. They have their respective ways of doing meditation, and you can do one that you feel is most effective on you. Many business owners quench their thirst for learning as they indulge themselves in things that can improve themselves. It’s often by reading books or listening to podcasts to learn new things.

5.) Refilling the senses

Getting a hobby is another way for entrepreneurs to free themselves from stress and enrich their holistic development. There are business owners who are into arts as they listen to music, watch movies or attend performances. There are business owners who find enjoyment through cooking or simply having a glass of wine. Several business owners feel more relaxed when they do some gardening, make improvements at home, or play with their pets, while others love to collect items or acquire new skills. You can also find some entrepreneurs who are involved in charitable works and non-profit projects.

In the end, many of them admit that they get the most enjoyment from their work. It’s because business owners love what they are doing. Reaching their goals and receiving appreciation from their customers, clients, peers and staff are the great rewards that entrepreneurs reap from the hard work and dedication to their craft. Seeing their loved ones, team members and clientele happy is the best stress-reliever there is for every entrepreneur.

10 items you may find on an entrepreneur’s desk

There are studies conducted that one’s workspace or office desk reflect the personality of the person behind the desk. Entrepreneurs have different styles of running their businesses, and they may have varying methods on how to dress up their work tables. It may sometimes depend on the layout, design and culture of your office, but you can inject a few things that will leave your mark on your territory.

Some may adopt a minimalist design, while others would prefer to fill their offices with items that can stimulate their thoughts and creativity. Nonetheless, no matter what kind of personality you have and despite your preferences on the upkeep your workstation, you will see the following items on the desk of some business owners. You might also find a few of them useful or handy to have on your table.

1.) Computer

In this day and age where technology allows things to happen at a snap of your fingers, a computer is a necessity at work, regardless of the industry you belong. Entrepreneurs need computers to get into the various systems within their businesses. They have to use it to read emails, send out messages, check files, create presentations, review financial records, and browse the web.

2.) Phone

Whether it’s a landline or a smartphone, customers look for a number that they can contact for various reasons. Having a phone on your desk means you are accessible to your team, partners, clients and suppliers. With many smartphone apps, it also becomes the extension of your computer and your office, especially when you are always on the go.

3.) Pen

Even when most people record things on their computer, tablet or smartphone, a pen will never go out of style. It is important when jotting down notes or signing vital documents. Having one on hand is useful when you suddenly want to put your thoughts on ink. Others incorporate it as a decorative piece on their desk.

4.) Notepad/Paper

Nowadays, many companies are going paperless. But you’ll still need paper to scribble and put your thoughts into something tangible. Maybe you want to leave a note to your team or put a reminder on your desk for yourself or label your files. Nonetheless, having a notepad or notebook where you can write down important things always come handy.

5.) Calendar/Planner

The best way to stay organised is to have a checklist of things to be done for the day or week. You also have to keep tabs of things that will be happening that is crucial to your company’s operations. A calendar or planner is where you put important updates and reminders to help you plan and execute.

6.) Clock

Time is of the essence. While your computer or your phone may have a built-in clock, there is a charm of having a table clock placed on your desk. When things get too busy, it will help you keep track of time and remind you of the next thing to do, including taking a break or having a breather from all the flurry of things.

7.) Mug

Sitting and working in your workstation all day can often be tiring. You need to hydrate yourself with a glass of water or a cup of coffee. Having one nearby reminds you to refresh yourself throughout the day.

8.) Books

As you nourish your body, you also have to nourish your mind. Books that can give you new insights and ideas are helpful in providing more knowledge to improve and develop yourself and your business.

9.) Memorabilia/Photos

Others say that the fewer things you have on your desk, the more productive you become. However, the more you personalise your work area, the more empowered you feel. Given that, it is always nice to have something that can inspire you and make you smile. It can be a photo of a loved one, a trophy of your last achievement, or a picture of your ideal place.

10.) Plants

Plants produce oxygen that you need so you can breathe and relax. They have a soothing effect to the environs, and it can help relieve you of the stress you may feel at work.

Entrepreneurs spend several hours a day on their workstation. It is helpful that your desk and whatever are on it correspond to your work style. Make your working space comfortable enough so that you spend your day happy, motivated and productive.