Being a Virtual Assistant is a dream job, especially if you are organized and know how to manage your timings efficiently. If not, you might find yourself running out of time with several unfinished tasks. Been there, done that. We don’t want you, dear reader, to stress over deadlines or, worse, to spend your time out of work catching up with your duties. Therefore, today we have some Effective Time Management Tips For Virtual Assistants.
“Consistently working late is not necessarily a sign of a hard worker, but rather the inability to use time wisely.”
Victor Butting.
1) Assess your situation.
Take a moment to review your work. Identify what you are doing and what you need to improve. To do this, you can use a tool to track the time on your computer (for example, Time Doctor). Also, take note of all the interruptions of the day. Be honest with yourself. Maybe you stopped working to: drink coffee, answer some texts, or take a nap. If so, it is ok. However, focus on fixing it: Why are you not finishing your tasks on time?
2) Set yourself up for success.
Be realistic and schedule your activities for the day. Determine the amount of time it will take you to finish them and go for it. Once you have completed your busy workday, think about what you did, what you wanted to do, and what you have to do tomorrow. Also, remember to be flexible because it is impossible to control everything. In other words, be aware that the next day you might be asked to do something besides your to-do list.
3) Automate to be more efficient.
Some tasks take a long time. Is there a way you can make them faster? Add formulas to your spreadsheet and learn how to use your software better. The time taken to master your software is very little compared to the time you will save when you apply what you have learned.
4) Test until you find your way to stay organized.
There’s no exact formula for perfect time management. Keep trying until you get it right. We are all different. Consequently, while some people could do perfectly with just writing their to-do’s in a list, some may need to add pop-up notifications on their screen, and some may use a spreadsheet with all of their tasks listed in detail.
Are you a chaotic or a structured virtual assistant? Do you use post-its, timers, or software online? Share your secrets with us in the comments, and remember to share this blog entry with someone who needs this: “Effective Time Management Tips For Virtual Assistants.”
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