A Day in the Life of a Healthy Virtual Assistant
6:00am-8:00am
When I worked in a 9-5 corporate job, my mornings consisted of racing around the house trying to get showered and changed whilst eating breakfast on the go to ensure I didn’t miss the bus!
Working for myself, there’s no need for an alarm clock as I naturally wake up with the sunrise and have amble time to do as I choose before logging online to start the working day. So, depending on my energy levels, I’ll choose to either snooze, go for a walk, take a HIIT or yoga class.
As a Virtual Assistant, you have the flexibility to flow with your natural cycle and moods of the day .
8:00am-10:00am
Time for a healthy breakfast with a cup of organic coffee, either at home or in my favourite local cafe.
During breakfast, I login to my inbox and task manager system, Asana, to plan my day. If there’s anything urgent to address, I focus on this straight away, otherwise, I respond to emails and do a quick social media check. Then, I set the time recorder to get started on my first task (I seem to be less creative in the mornings, so I focus on tasks that are technical or process driven, like website building or setting up email responders).
When working from home, it’s important to be super organised. Without planning your work day in advance, you can easily become distracted and before you know it, it's 4pm, you've done two loads of washing, tidied your wardrobe, vacuumed the entire house.....but done absolutely no VA work!
10:30am-1:00pm
Having taken liberties with the cafe’s free wifi, I hurry back home to continue working.
This is also when meetings start, either with potential clients hoping to learn more about working with a Virtual Assistant or current clients wanting to touch base on workload and deadlines. For potential clients, I always meet face to face over Skype or Zoom so we can 'see’ each other and work out if we're the right fit. Whereas for current clients, a quick phone catch up is sufficient (I'm paid by the hour after all). Regardless, I’m make-up free, bra-less and casual. Not a pencil skirt or high heel in sight!
Working from home and meeting clients online means you can wear what you like to the ‘office’ and be comfortable. (But, that doesn't mean you can stay in your pyjamas!)
LUNCH
Lunch can be any time my hunger kicks in and for me, it's usually the biggest meal of the day . I prep a big batch of whatever I fancy so there's enough for Hubbys dinner when he gets home from work too. I have to keep an eye on the clock while eating lunch so I don't get carried away (or sucked into another dangerously additive episode on Netflix!)
Preparing and eating food at home means you can make healthy, conscious decisions - not to mention cost effective. When you work in an office, unless you're organised enough to prep a pack lunch every day, you're a slave to the nearest cafe, which doesn't always offer a healthy choice. It's also better for your blood sugar levels to eat when you're actually hungry, rather than within a set time period .
1:00pm - 5:00pm
The afternoons are when I do the bulk of my work and also when my creativity kicks in, so the perfect time for writing copy, graphic design, presentations etc.
It's surprising how quickly time flies when you're in the zone. However, I must remind myself to stretch or go for a 20 minute walk during this time, or my hips and back tighten up from sitting for too long .
5:00pm-6:30pm
Time to wrap up and prep for the next day. I organise my Asana To Do list, complete another social media check, and maybe schedule a post or two on The Healthy VA Facebook page. This is also when I scroll through various freelancer sites to look for more work.
Virtual Assistants should constantly be on their toes and preparing for the months ahead to prevent their income from fluctuating. The ideal scenario is having several long term clients who you build a good working relationship with and receive regular income from. However, if a project is coming to an end soon, you need to be prepared with upcoming contracts to avoid an income dip.
6:30pm
Husband gets home for work. Having not spoken to anyone (other than the cat) in the last 5 hours, I get verbal diarrhea!
Working on your own isn't for everyone. As an introvert, I crave alone time and am much more productive without the bustling noise and interruptions from an office environment . But, if you'd rather have company, there are plenty of co-working spaces around for entrepreneurs and start ups, and it's also a good way to meet other freelancers.
9:00pm
The husband catches me checking work email on my phone, during what is supposed to be 'quality time'. Oops!
Switching off from work is challenging when you run your own business. There's no official start or finish to your working day. So, it's important to set healthy boundaries and hold yourself accountable to creating a work-life balance, even if you do love being a Virtual Assistant!