Become A Successful Virtual Assistant

by Melissa Smith

  Diana’s advice to a current admin considering going out on their own is, “Have a clear vision, goals, and a roadmap. Strategy behind such adventures is everything, so talk to many people about your idea and reach out to your network. Helping hands and lots of advice is never enough. And trust your gut feeling. Because a well prepared business plan will not make you happy when you feel that something is missing. Talk to your network and see how others have created their businesses. Best practice sharing is essential.”

  How to Ask Your Employer to Go Remote

  What if you’re not ready to go out on your yet? What if you just want to try working outside of the office? Great! Ask your employer about the option of working from home a few days a week or even full-time. I was fortunate, when I left my last in-office position, that my employer was so forward-thinking. Even though I had already been acting as a VA, I didn’t realize it. I did have to prepare a proposal for working from home. Depending on your place of employment, a formal proposal may be required as well. As you create your proposal, put yourself in your boss’s position. Think like he or she thinks so you can be prepared to answer questions as they come up.

  Do your homework and gather your research to prepare a quality proposal. Begin by keeping track of how often you are required to work in person. Not how often people get ahold of you because you’re in the office but because you could not physically address the issue if you were not in the office. It’s usually less time than you think. I guarantee your employer has no idea. It is comforting when your boss sees you at your desk—even if you don’t have enough work to keep you busy, or you have finished all of your tasks and are looking for more things to do.

  Create a written proposal. The more business-minded you can be, the more business-minded and less emotional your boss will be. You want to take emotion out of the decision because your boss’s emotion most likely will be fear—fear of not having you in the office, fear that you won’t complete your work, fear of things falling through the cracks. The more professional you can be about the ask, the more your request will be considered.

  Investigate how you will work from home. Which hardware and software will your employer need to provide to you? How much will it cost? What will your company receive in return for your working remotely?

  Some people have a very easy time asking to work from home, and some companies don’t require such diligent research and formal written proposals. A participant in my online class, The Essential Business Model for VAs, simply approached her boss and said she needed to go remote or she would have to quit. Now, this approach is a bit extreme, but it wasn’t a bluff. She was prepared either way. Her family had already discussed the situation and was ready for either decision. Her employer agreed to her proposal, and within weeks she had become a remote employee. The time and cost to hire and train her replacement would have been too great.

  Setting a New Work Schedule

  When I worked in traditional offices with traditional business hours, I learned how to schedule my days to be the most productive. I created a system so no matter which emergencies or crises came my way, I could handle them and still accomplish what needed to get done.

  Thinking back to my first week of working from home, I had no problems to fix and no interruptions, and yet I was completely unproductive. I was trying to keep regular business hours when I didn’t have to. I had this new freedom and was still confining myself to my old schedule. The adrenaline rushes that used to come from putting out fires and would push me to get some of the more undesirable tasks done no longer existed. Even the simple things like getting dressed in my “work” clothes and doing my hair and makeup made the day awful. Now I found myself all dressed up with nowhere to go.

  During my second week as a remote employee, I made the necessary changes to ensure I could be productive while working from home. As a virtual assistant, creating a home strategy is important. You may struggle to be productive because you’re used to being constantly busy. The downtime can be confusing. Some VAs find that they feel guilty when spending time with their families because they know there is still work to be done. Or there may be a great demand in your work, yet you go the entire day and don’t feel like you really accomplished anything. Here are some tips for you:

  Take an assessment of what makes you feel productive. What is productive and what makes you feel productive may not always be the same thing. If you can start the day by doing things that make you feel productive, you’ll end the day just as strong. Days when you don’t feel or truly aren’t productive rarely mean you did less work.

  Be honest about which tasks will take more time to accomplish and which tasks you are simply procrastinating to do. No matter who you are or what line of work you’re in, procrastination is your worst enemy. Make plans to remove distractions when working on the projects that you usually procrastinate accomplishing. You will naturally let anything distract you. So close all of your browser tabs, set your phone to “do not disturb,” and try working in a place where you’ll want to finish your work and leave. Another option is to consider how much you’d be willing to pay someone else to do the task then outsource it.

  Break your day into blocks of time that fit your work and life. I’ve had to change my schedule often in the past few years. I will continue to do so moving forward because my life is in a constant state of change. The key is knowing when you are at your best to do your best work for yourself and your clients. Depending on where in the world I am, this could be in the morning or in the middle of the night. Things haven’t always worked out how I planned. There is always a learning curve when trying something new. The point is you have permission to change your schedule as needed and do what best suits you and your lifestyle.

  Review how you’re going to spend your time every quarter. Even the smallest changes can make a difference in your daily routine. The weather and time changes have an impact on me as a “fair weather” runner. Something more significant, like conference season, needs to be worked out well before you begin. When I traveled the world in 2017, I set my goals based on the time zones I was in. I did my best to frontload those goals because the end of the year is busy enough. While it all looked good on paper, I wasn’t planning for the fact that I’m a morning person who would be working graveyard shift hours. I thought if it was “technically” my morning, it would feel like morning. I was wrong. I was able to adjust by working the daylight hours on my own work and doing client work when the sun was down. I’ve learned my lesson for the future. I can do client work but not creative work on the graveyard shift.

  Don’t be afraid to do what is right for you. So many times, I’ve read about the person who wakes up at 5 a.m. to go to the gym, arrives at the office by 7 a.m., attends meetings until noon, and so on. That doesn’t work for me. No matter how successful they are and no matter how much I would like to be as successful as them, I can’t copy that schedule. Instead of forcing someone else’s routine on yourself, spend your time learning their best business principles or their thought process and then apply those to your own schedule.

  Freedom to work at your own pace is great. If this is a new concept for you, it can be overwhelming. Whatever you do should feel natural and be easily applied to your daily routine. If you can make it a part of your routine, you’ll be more likely to stay consistent. If you’re not consistent, you don’t have a system that works. You are first a virtual assistant to yourself. If you can’t help yourself, you can’t help your clients.

  You need to have a flow zone. Flow is the space of your greatest work, the kind that seems to be free flowing. Maybe you call it “being in the zone.” Imagine for a moment you are an artist. For days you’ve stared at a blank canvas until it seems so clear, and then the brush strokes begin to fly as you create your next masterpiece. That is flow. Chances are you know what this looks like for your former bosses and your current clients. Now it’s time to achieve this for yourself.

  Where Is Your Best Place to
Work?

  Dr. Ron Friedman’s book The Best Place to Work is an absolute must-read no matter where you work or for whom you work. Dr. Friedman addresses the science behind what makes a great place to work. He also gives insight into things we think are bad or even toxic, like gossip. Seriously, read his book.

  I especially appreciated learning the science of why employees who work from home are often more productive than those in the office. There is no shortage of discussion about how working from home is more convenient. However, having a convenient workspace doesn’t necessarily equal a productive employee.

  As virtual assistants, the most common stereotype applied to us is that we have small children at home, so that’s why we do what we do. While for some this might be true, most of the VAs I know don’t have small children at home. In fact, when my kids were younger, I couldn’t have worked at home because the distractions would have been too great.

  It’s no longer just virtual assistants either. Now just about any position can provide assistance virtually. And remote workspaces also are getting better. In April 2016, I had my first stay in a new kind of co-working and co-living space through Outsite. It’s an entirely new way of working, providing networking opportunities and meaningful, creative collaborations.

  The space was beautiful—a beachside villa in Santa Cruz, California. Outsite provided WiFi, coffee, tea, and collaborative spaces as you might imagine. However, it was also equipped with a yoga room, bicycles, beach gear, and weekly activities to participate in, like hiking, barbecues, and movie nights.

  So where’s my best place to work? I used to say, “Wherever I am.” Some days that’s at home. Other days it could be a coffee shop, a co-working space, a park bench, or even on an airplane 30,000 feet in the air. Working on the beach or poolside used to be a personal favorite.

  As I traveled the world, I no longer use the same expression. Now I say, “Whatever space I create.” Not all cities in the countries I visited are conducive to remote working. Internet connections aren’t always great, plus what I can do and enjoy when I’m not working became a huge factor.

  Am I still productive? You’d better believe I am! Instead of looking at posters of a beautiful place with a great quote, I’m at a beautiful place and don’t need to be inspired by a quote. Are my clients able to reach me? Of course! My space reflects the work I’m accomplishing, and I also take into consideration what, if any, interruptions I can allow.

  When I know I’ll have a day with a lot of phone calls, I don’t work in a coffee shop or anyplace where my conversations can be heard. When I need to bounce ideas off of someone or learn what another person’s best practice is, collaborative spaces are great. Reading, editing, and writing were once done outside at the park, at the beach, or at another relaxing venue. But now I find myself far too distracted in these places and choose to stay in a quiet place instead.

  As a virtual assistant, it is important to know your best place to work. You might need to take the time and energy to create that space in your home. Be careful to recognize when your perfect place changes. There was once a time I thought my ideal location was at the beach, but not all beaches are the same. And the beach for me simply meant overlooking the beach—not literally in the sand.

  Whenever I feel myself on the verge of procrastination, I know I need to get to a place where I don’t want to spend my hours and would feel like my time is wasted the longer I stayed. On these days, I have to get out of my house. Days full of phone conversations give me energy, and I find myself rejuvenated. I have to write in a quiet place, locked away from the rest of the world. But I do my best editing in an open space where I have enough quiet time to think but not space to overthink.

  If you find that working from home is your only option, find or create nooks in your space. Make each space relevant and meaningful, conducive to your style of working.

  When Is It Time to Ditch Being Virtual?

  I’m so very thankful for virtual opportunities—opportunities to work, network, stay in touch with family and friends, even meet new people, all done virtually. Sometimes you need to get out IRL (in real life) though.

  In October 2015, I had the opportunity and honor to host OfficeNinjas IRL in Dallas. No virtual casting could have taken the place of this live event. Hosting or not, being with over 300 administrative professionals from different companies with different administrative styles and backgrounds was amazing.

  I got to meet a finalist for the Dallas Admin Awards in the Spirit category and the co-worker who nominated her. I met another woman who works as the sole administrative employee in her company.

  I also was thrilled to be a part of the giveaways. Calling out names, then watching women run up to claim their prizes and have their photos taken was such a rush. I was hugging each winner, and I’m not a hugger. Then there were the moments I got to meet people I have been in the same online communities with for over a year, face to face, for the very first time. For all this I happily ditched being virtual!

  Hopefully, you have already taken steps to join an in-person networking group. A good co-working space might also be a good way to keep company with fellow entrepreneurs. I have a love-hate relationship with co-working spaces. They are not all equal, and the projects I’m working on aren’t always conducive to a co-working space. Some spaces have been absolutely wonderful for working, networking, learning, and general company. You have to be mindful of how much time you’re spending alone (as in feeling it’s just you against the world), without the company of your peers, or doing something you love.

  Look for opportunities to meet clients in person, attend a conference or an in-person class. No matter how much I love and appreciate being virtual, human contact is necessary and fun! It takes some planning and creativity, and you could even be nervous at the prospect at first. However, this is also how opportunities are revealed.

  This might be an exciting time for you to go out on your own. It could very well be a stressful time after being fired, laid off, or retiring before you were ready. There is power in saying goodbye. Dr. Ato explains, “These are rites of passages, like retirement and birthdays, worthy of acknowledgment.”

  In my own experience, it took me a long time to say goodbye properly. Virtual assistance wasn’t the life or the career I had dreamed of. Instead I felt like it was forced upon me. I can look back now with warm, happy thoughts, but at the time I was scared. It wasn’t just me—I had to provide for my family. Dr. Ato suggests that we “Bring our families through the process. Include them because there will be a ripple effect.” Whether it is to discuss finances or talk about what your career change will mean to the entire family, “It is opening up dialogue to let others know it’s okay to have feelings about the situation as well.”

  While you’re saying goodbye to your old life, it is important to take proper care of yourself. Dr. Ato has practiced self-care and personal growth throughout her years in practice, which include simple things like disconnecting, immersing herself in nature, and being in silence. She suggests asking yourself, “How you can make this an amazing experience?”

  The process of saying goodbye is not linear. We may not be able to go back and change a situation that already happened; however, Dr. Ato says, “Your mind is like a file cabinet and when something familiar happens, your mind pulls from the old story to determine how you’re going to react in the present. We can change our story.”

  CONCLUSION

  How Do You Know When to Keep Going?

  When I first started my virtual assistant business, I wondered how I would know when I should keep going and when I should quit. I’m not a quitter, but sometimes it is the right decision. How would I know what is right for me? Could someone just tell me what to do instead of having to make the decision on my own?

  I read stories about wildly successful people who spent their last dime, almost went bankrupt, gave everything they had, and their dreams came true. How did they know? Surely there were peo
ple telling them to quit, give up, save what little they had left. I’m sure many of those people were close friends and family members. What makes a person keep going in the midst of hardships? Would I know when to keep going? I’ve determined there is definitely a time in your business when you know. It’s more than a gut feeling.

  Certainly, you will have to make changes and improvise along the way. The business I started with is not where I am today. Not everything was worth holding on to. You have to determine if you can get to your end result in another way. It could be that you have to swallow your pride, ask for help, and start all over. None of those things is bad, but they are difficult.

  If you are struggling to start your virtual assistant business and wonder how long you should keep going before you quit, ask yourself these two questions:

  If I quit now, can I live with my dream never being realized? Don’t feel guilty if the answer is “yes.” If you are not all in, it won’t work. If it’s not your dream, life is too short to spend time on things that don’t truly matter to you. Take time to figure out what your real dream is. It may not be business related and that’s okay. Sometimes it’s your work that supports your dream, not your dream that is the work.

  Where is my lack of confidence coming from? When I wasn’t confident, it was all tied to a lack of direction. I didn’t understand where I was going and how I was going to get there. I could only see what I wanted the end result to be. Clients can tell when you’re not confident, and they want no part of it. Don’t confuse a lack of confidence with fear. Fear is a strong emotion so it comes out often, but it still is only a symptom, not the problem. It’s possible to fear failure even when you don’t know what you’re really failing at and quitting.