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What Is Your Biggest Fear?

I was talking with a colleague recently about success – or lack of success. It was a pretty general conversation but we were talking about VAs and mindset to start with and it morphed into this conversation about what everyone really wants. What we want. What do you want? What are you afraid of? Our fear can often cripple us as business owners. We can be afraid to make decisions because we don’t know what the outcome might be. Have you ever had these feelings? If you have, you are perfectly normal!! Fear of the unknown is one big reason I recommend having an accountability partner or coach. It helps you to push past the hesitation – however small or large –… Read More »What Is Your Biggest Fear?

Do You Feel Like You Are All Alone in Your VA Business?

Do you ever feel like you are all alone in your business? It’s such a common feeling – because we are mainly solopreneurs, we spend a lot of our time on our own. Busy times take us away from the social atmosphere of working online and we can get lonesome, quickly. It happens to me all the time. If it happens to you, you are not alone! I’m not really talking about wanting to socialize though, not really. I’m talking about making decisions in our business on your own. Spending your own money on expenses. Feeling down about revenue if you aren’t making as much as you want. When we think we have to be an island, that’s when things… Read More »Do You Feel Like You Are All Alone in Your VA Business?

5 Tips for Better Health as a Virtual Assistant

Do you ever get to lunchtime and realize you have been sitting at your desk since 8? Or worse, do you chat away on Facebook on IM with your colleagues and when lunch comes you realize you haven’t done any work yet? Both scenarios are not good for you. Physically, I mean. When you don’t take regular breaks, it is hard on your body. When you waste too much time, it is too. You have to catch up at some point, right? And when you are not actually working (like being on social media) your body language is completely different – watch yourself next time – your posture is probably suffering when you are just playing online versus when you… Read More »5 Tips for Better Health as a Virtual Assistant

Do You Do This Too? Accepting Status Quo

This week I was sitting at my desk when wham! Big crash. Suddenly my phone, keyboard, mouse and mousepad were sitting on the floor at my feet, along with my sliding keyboard drawer. You think I would be shocked or stunned. But, no. Ever since I built my desk (don’t judge me!) about 10 years ago I have known that the keyboard drawer has been loose. Yep, right from the get-go. Design flaw I think. But I’ve tolerated it all these years. I can actually tell when it’s loose and might fall, so I can make a quick adjustment and reinforce it, Then I move on until the next time. So this week when it happened I really stopped and took notice.… Read More »Do You Do This Too? Accepting Status Quo

Dealing with Difficult Clients as a VA

Have you ever had a difficult situation arise with a client? Let me give you a few examples: – they send you all their work last minute (their lack of preparation means your emergency, doesn’t it?)- they don’t pay you on time (or without constant nudging) – they complain about every little thing – they ask the same questions over and over again – they send you a million emails to communicate something simple – they don’t change subject lines in their emails if the subject matter changes (this is a huge pet peeve of mine! – how do I ever find that thing we talked about?) You get the picture. Virtual working brings with it a need for steady… Read More »Dealing with Difficult Clients as a VA

Time Saving Tips for Managing Multiple VA Clients

It amazes me often that people have trouble juggling the work of more than one client. I do this on a regular basis, and I have a system to manage it. But I didn’t realize I had a system until someone actually asked me how I did it. Funny, huh? So I often share my process with my colleagues, and I try not to take it for granted that I just ‘figured this out’. I know I am an organized person, but I didn’t think managing multiple client fit into that. But it does! 1. Schedule blocks of time for each client’s work. When you begin your day, use a task list to help you determine what needs to be done… Read More »Time Saving Tips for Managing Multiple VA Clients

Not Enough Hours in Your Day?

One of the biggest complaints I hear from VAs and clients alike is that there is not enough time to get everything done. They feel like they are working their fingers to the bone … and they don’t have enough clients, or they don’t have enough time to get their marketing done, or they don’t have time to finish their client work. That’s actually not true! There is always enough time. It’s when you don’t manage your time properly that you run out of it. People (husband, friends, family, colleagues) think it’s funny that I schedule so much of my day, and that I get irritated if someone throws me off schedule. It’s fact. I have a lot to get done,… Read More »Not Enough Hours in Your Day?

Checking In: Assessment Time!

A friend/colleague of mine came over the other day to do a business strategy session. I was all set up to meet with her in our living room. I don’t often have people into my office because it’s not too big, and well, it’s a sea of papers some days. If we do need to be in the office, I make sure to do my filing. My desk is not too bad, but I have another desk that is a dumping ground (so sue me, I’m human!) LOL Well this particular day, I was stuck on a support chat at my PC which is … in my office. So I had to set our strategy session up in there at… Read More »Checking In: Assessment Time!