Posts Tagged ‘virtual assistant’

How to Stop Wasting Time at Work

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

Time wasted is also money wasted

If only all of us know how to maximize the hours that we have in a day, we would all be rich—in accomplishments! Being able to produce more output in a day will not only entitle you for a possible promotion (if an office employee) or extra revenue (if working from home or managing your own business). This also gives you an assurance that you made wise use of your time and a sense of pride that you could actually do more and be better every day.

Start with the Tough Ones
Procrastination is your biggest enemy. We tend to push the hard ones out and do the easy or clerical tasks first. When you’ve reached half of the day, you try picking out the hard tasks and finish nothing by the end of the day. Why not reverse this by getting the hardest and usually the most important job done? This works better because you have more focus and energy at the start of the day.

Get your Focus
This is the hardest and most important component. You may have already done a to-do list and you know exactly what to do to be able to deliver. The problem is no matter how hard you try to come up with ideas or compose your thoughts—the light bulb stays busted. To be able to beat this, do a little bit stretching and perhaps sip a cup of coffee. Get some help by browsing online specifically about the task or consulting your colleagues. Make sure to keep this soul-searching period short and particularly about the task at hand. Directing your mind and your actions ONLY to this task will point you towards getting it done fast.

Destruct Distractions
Keeping your IM and e-mail open, especially if notifications from your blogs and social networking accounts are flooding, will eat up your whole day. After all, it’s more fun and exciting to check these out than to continue working on a spreadsheet your boss needs after lunch. While quick peeks during breaks won’t hurt, getting used to these momentary amusements will make you want for more. So better to shut them off altogether or device a rewards system for yourself where you get to check ONLY when you have done such amount of work.

Time-Box
This simply means that you have a mental allocation of number of hours to be spent on a definite task. While you’re at it and you are tempted to daydream or check out the latest Hollywood buzz, check your time. How many more minutes do you have? Time-boxing gives you a positive pressure as you try to beat the self-imposed deadline. Time-boxing also applies to your quick breaks and chit-chat—keep these short so that you don’t lose your momentum.

Know When Your Plate is Full
It’s true that you want to be as effective as you can be but if you flood yourself with so many jobs, you won’t be able to focus and finish a thing. The more tasks you accept, the more people will be bugging you for follow up or feedback and it will be a never-ending cycle. Instead of taking up all these by yourself, why don’t you get someone to help you? Perhaps a sibling on vacation can help but there is also a big risk that this may double up the burden since you’ll have to check and redo if there are mistakes. Professional assistants are available for a cost but the productivity and relief that they provide is all worth it.

Always remember, time wasted is like money thrown to trash. Managing and spending your time well not only frees you from stress, it also works as your personal investment. You may not realize it but making wise use of your time also results to a constructive outlook in life as you continue to pursue and encourage yourself to achieve something all the time. Disciplining yourself to not waste time is the key to improving your work and your being as well.

How to Jack Up Your Productivity

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

When you think about it, man’s constant desire for better, faster, more has never seemed to die down or change. Back when we all lived in caves, we invented the wheel to go places, carry heavier loads, basically do things faster, better, and more. Today, the “wheels” may have changed, but we find ourselves yet again more than ever concerned with “more”. We want more work done for own various reasons. More money. More free time. More time to spend with the kids. More chances of moving up in the world. Okay. Now that we’ve established our motivation, how in the heck do we increase productivity (whether our own or colleagues’, or employees’)?

Truthfully, there are no hard and fast rules to do this, but the thing to remember is that productivity is very much tied to happiness. It’s been scientifically proven that happy workers are more productive ones. And as blogger Alex Kjerulf explains in his post here, once you start liking what you do and enjoying your work, your productivity will soar.

I’ll even let you in on a personal story. I started out as a marketing assistant at a bank. To say the least, it was painfully boring and mind-numbing, consisting mainly of making phone calls to clients, confirming they were depositing huge sums of money, in amounts I would never make in a lifetime if I stayed there. How do you think that impacted my productivity?

So maybe for the first lesson in productivity, it goes something like this:

Productivity = Happiness + Purpose

Any human being who disagrees with the “purpose” part is either Sisyphus or a hamster. So if your job right now feels like you’re running aimlessly in a hamster wheel, it’s time to seek better employment. But hey, if you’re happy with that sort of thing, that’s your thing. I personally would run amok with an AK-47 and take my colleagues hostage. But that’s just me. That’s why I left the job at the bank after a week.

In a nutshell, to increase your productivity, FIRST, choose the sort of work or place yourself in the sort of industry where you’re more likely to do the work you like. Sounds simple, but soaring numbers of unhappy workers say otherwise.

Pick the work you like, and try to make sure it won’t feel like there’s a solid brick wall ahead or above you. Do some research on the company, organization, and industry you want to work in; talk to people and Google the relevant topics on them.

Maybe that’s all more suited for long-term strategies in upping your productivity. So maybe a “nutshell” type list will help boost your productivity now.

Here are a few tips for increasing productivity on the job:

1. Create a work environment that suits you.

Start with a comfortable chair. But please, not a La-Z-boy. Recliners are for vegetating in front of the TV or sleeping, not working. If you can afford one of those fancy Aeron chairs, go for it. The key is to tailor-fit your workspace into a “mechanism” you like using. Remember, unless you’re as brilliant and aggressive as Richard Branson, you and your workspace will be together for quite some time.

Work Environment

Décor, lighting, and use of space are also important. Some people like a lot of light, some like it dark. Some use a lot of shelf space, others tuck things away. Some people like the whole Scandinavian minimalist thing, others like to be crowded with their books, magazines, CDs, pictures of soon-to-be girlfriends (that’s not me…) and heck, even toys. Use what works for you, just be sure to not encroach on anyone else’s space.

2. Make a list.

Yes, a list. You have one for groceries, you have one for the people you hated in high school and swear vengeance (again that’s just me), so why not one for your day-to-day tasks? Most people take it for granted, but successful people swear by it.

And really, there’s a feeling of satisfaction in ticking off a task you’ve completed by day’s end. Don’t rob yourself of that feeling. And why do you think PDAs come and go, but the good old filofax and note pad are still around? The tools change, but the practice doesn’t. Jot down that list now.

3. Put on a little music.

So long as you’re not operating heavy equipment, play your favorite tunes.

Studies on productivity have confirmed that workers who listen to the music they like increased their work output by at least 10%. No wonder Sony Walkmans have been selling like hotcakes, at least until the iPod came along.

You want more proof? I’m listening to Depeche Mode as I type this. Not exactly happy tunes to work by, but it keeps my motor running. Oh, and if you’re the only one who likes the music you’re listening to, get a great pair of earphones. Not everyone in Accounting might be able to balance the books while It’s No Good is blasting.

4. Take a break when you need it.

Breaks are okay, and the operative words being “when you need it”. To keep your own motor running, take a break away from the keyboard. Breathe. Take a short walk, have a smoke, talk to people, grab a small bite. Breaking the monotony (so long as you’re not in the middle of something) helps to keep your ball rolling.

5. Reward yourself a little, from time to time.

Remember what we said about happiness? It doesn’t have to be something big.

Having a massage

Give yourself a little pat on the back when you’ve finished something or feel you done good at work. Never discount the importance of little rewards, it will actually help you with a little “happiness boost” to tackle the next task. This can be anything from a small treat, new CD or article of clothing, desk toy or that vintage GI Joe figure with the kung-fu grip you always wanted as a kid.

6. Keep your eye on the ball.

Yes, ironically, to keep your ball rolling at work, keep your eye on whatever goal you’ve set for yourself, long-term or short-term. Oh, and make the goal more “life-related”, more personal. “Finishing tax reports before the end of the fiscal year” doesn’t sound nearly as exciting a goal as “finally learning to ski in the Pyrennes”. Literally have a picture or collage of what you’re aiming for right there as a desktop wallpaper or put it in a place where you can see it or easily bring it out and stare at it for a minute or two. This is visualization. (Get a copy of the book The Secret and you’ll see what I mean). It doesn’t matter if it’s a shiny new car, that vacation in the Maldives you’ve always wanted, the home you’ve always dreamed of buying, or even the celebrity you want to abduct date. When it comes to goals, you don’t have to be 100% realistic. What’s important is you get yourself jazzed up about work, and the feeling of wanting to work harder, if not smarter, will follow.

Of course, these are just a few tips on short-term fixes for upping your own productivity, and maybe encouraging other people in your team to be more productive. Start with these tips and you may discover your own methods that will help put you on the path to heightened productivity, which (could) translate to success, peace of mind, and long-term happiness.

The 12 Days of Christmas with my Virtual Assistant

Monday, December 14th, 2009

Virtual Santa Assistant

On the days before Christmas, my VA (Virtual Assistant) gave to me…

12 months of meetings

It’s never too early to get started on getting next year’s calendar filled up with your red letter days. Ask for your VA’s help to get your reminders set-up, whether it be for important meetings, birthdays, anniversaries and other important dates.

11 Jobs with Typing

For any transcription work or encoding that need to be done before the end of the year, seek your VA’s assistance in getting those important papers ready for you.

10 Sent e-greetings

Christmas greetings are a must for anyone so enlist help organizing and maintaining your email database, as well as sending out your Holiday wishes. Also consider having your VA reply to the greetings sent to you. You wouldn’t want your friends and family to think you’re a Scrooge.

9 Planned Parties

Find that perfect party venue, set up the caterers, send out the invites and mind those who have sent in their RSVPs. There is nothing more stressful than being a gracious host on top of planning and setting up an event that would make Martha Stewart proud. Cut yourself some slack and get a VA to do all that for you.

Virtual Assistant with Presents
8 Lists for Shopping

Keep track of your Christmas gift lists – and more importantly, your budget – this Christmas season. Research the best online shopping deals, the hottest toys for your kids and even grab that much-coveted Hermes bag at a low price for your wife. Never mind who’s been naughty or nice, simply ask and your VA will even check for you twice!

7 Plans for Marketing

Get a head start on next year’s marketing campaigns before year end and impress your boss. Your VA can assist you in doing the necessary research and even do the preliminary set-ups to successfully implement it. Their know-how, equipment and creative flair may just be what you need to get you ahead in your field!

6 Year-End Reportings

There is no reason why you need to be stuck behind a desk doing your number-crunching, word processing and spreadsheets during the Holidays. Give your brain its much-deserved vacation and let your VA handle those mundane tasks for you.

5 Organizing

Most virtual assistants are experts in multi-tasking and organizing. If you’re starting to feel overwhelmed by the amount of paper work you have to catch-up on or bogged-down by daily tedious tasks, a VA might just be the answer to your prayers.

4 Calling Leads

Expand your market-reach by asking your VA to call prospective clients to inform them about your company. More importantly, let your existing clients know how special they are by getting a personal call to let them know about your special offers on your latest products and services exclusively for them.

3 Set Vacations

If you’re hard-pressed for time to book that special holiday vacation with your family or with that special someone, let your VA assist you in arranging your trip: get the best airline and hotel deals, book the best tour packages, or even get that rent-a-car to get home to your loved-ones.

2 Holiday Promotions

You have a Christmas sale to do? Get help getting your website ready for its Christmas promos, or sending out your brochures and flyers during the Holidays. Let your VA help you update your webpage, blog, or social networking sites to spread the word fast and easy!

Merry Christmas from Pepper

And a whole lot more time for me… The best part of hiring a VA is that it maximizes your productivity while maintaining efficiency in your business processes. In the business world, time is money and freeing up your schedule to do more important things is the key to succeeding in your endeavors. This Christmas season, give yourself the gift of time and spend it on those that matter most to you.

5 Essential But Time Consuming Tasks You Can Offload

Monday, March 30th, 2009

Don't stress about time-consuming paperwork. Hire somebody else to do it for you

Don't stress about time-consuming paperwork. Hire somebody else to do it for you




While growing up, I always thought of my parents as “workaholics”.  They would normally get up very early to start working and turn in really late every night.  They would spend the whole day juggling business and personal chores, which leaves them too worn out to do anything pleasurable (besides sleeping!) at the end of the day.

Looking back now, I realized that they just didn’t have the resources to get an affordable personal assistant. Having a personal assistant then was just too costly that I would probably have to drop out of private school for them to afford it.

Luckily for us, those primitive days are long gone.

Today’s technology allows us easy access to affordable virtual assistants, making it possible for anyone to achieve a good balance between work and personal life.

Having a virtual assistant is so practical that it has helped boost the outsourcing industry.

If you’re in need of a virtual assistant, but unsure what to delegate, here are some ideas:

1.    Email Management

A former colleague used to complain that emails take up half of her workday. She just couldn’t accomplish anything beyond checking and replying to emails every morning.

If you have the same problem, a virtual assistant can sort your emails. This way you would only need to handle emails that require your personal attention. Given the proper instructions, your VA can deal with the rest of your emails.

2.    Customer Support

Everyone in business knows that keeping customers happy is vital to a company’s success. However, maintaining great customer relations entails more work than we have time for.

A virtual assistant can provide customer support. They can call customers for follow-ups or provide customer assistance when needed.

3.    Calendar Management

Keeping track of meetings and scheduling appointments can be stressful.  Wouldn’t you rather use your time in something more productive, like developing moneymaking ideas?

A virtual assistant can manage your calendar for you. They can schedule your business or personal appointments. Through the use of shared calendars, you can check your schedule anytime. VAs usually send reminders for your appointments the day before.  And if you require, they can give you wakeup calls too.

4.    Travel Arrangements

Whether it’s a business or leisure trip, booking for the most economical flights and looking for suitable accommodations can be very time consuming.

Guess what? A virtual assistant can take care of this for you.

5.    List Building, Research & Data Mining

Building a list, researching and data mining are very tedious work. The legwork involved can last for weeks or even months.

Why not pass it on to a virtual assistant?

These are basic services a VA can provide.

Just imagine how much freedom you can have simply by ridding your daily schedule of such mundane tasks. You’ll have more time to spend on more important matters.

Given the choice I’m pretty sure my parents would have hired a virtual assistant then.

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