Working from home as a virtual assistant can be a rewarding and fulfilling career. You have the ability to make your own schedule, work around your family’s calendar, and choose the clients you wish to work with. While it can be rewarding, it can also be frustrating; especially with the endless distractions and lack of focus that often accompany working from home. Practicing these three habits will make for a more productive and effective work from home career.
Focus
As a virtual assistant working out of your home, you’re the only one keeping yourself accountable. There’s no supervisor, no management, and no co-workers help to keep you on task. The only item pushing you to keep working is a looming deadline with a long list of client work. You need an intense focus in order to keep on task and stay clear of distractions such as scouring social media, checking your notifications, or taking several trips to the kitchen for snacks or coffee. Consider these tips in order to reinforce the focus you need to get the work done.
- Create a daily work schedule and stick to it.
- Choose a dedicated workspace.
- Make a list of tasks by priority and work through each one.
- Take small breaks between work projects as needed.
- Turn off your phone (if applicable).
Organization
Being organized in your work from home life will save you from undue stress and needless heartache. You may be thinking to yourself, “I am not naturally organized. What am I going to do?!?” No problem. Being organized is about discovering what works for you. There are a variety of ways to stay organized, such as:
- Keeping track of to-dos in a paper planner.
- Using an electronic app for making lists.
- Writing task items on a whiteboard.
- Creating your own notebook or journal for work items.
Motivation
When you worked a typical 9 – 5 job, you had a boss, a schedule, and a workplace that made it easy to stay motivated. Now that you’re working from home, you only have yourself. There are habits you can practice, such as keeping clear of distractions and being organized, that can help in this area. There’s nothing that can replace motivation. Keep practicing productive habits that work for you and you’ll find it getting easier little by little.
Help With Your VA Career
At VA Biz Lady, we offer products and services to help you in your own virtual assistant career. Be sure to check out our Done For You Graphics, free business forms, and website hosting services. We look forward to assisting you in your own work from home journey.