LIFE OF A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
We are all familiar with the life of a typical 9–5 working hours employee. But when it comes to a virtual assistant, most of us are left perplexed about what does a day in the life of a virtual assistant comprise of. There exists a sharp contrast between the two.
People generally have a misconception that virtual assistants spend their day relaxing in their pajamas and do not indulge in productive activities. On the contrary, a virtual assistant is statistically proven to be more productive than a regular employee. Intriguing, isn’t it?
There exist a lot of activities that do not coincide with the schedules of virtual assistants and regular workers. Do they spend long hours commuting to their office like regular employees? No, they do not. But they do invest the time saved from commuting on more productive activities.
As we gain insights about a typical day in virtual assistants’ life, it is not difficult to deduce that virtual assistants are very productive. The high productivity levels of virtual employees is a direct result of their high morale and higher job satisfaction.
Thus, virtual employees take up a lot of productive activities that regular employees may not be able to, in their daily routine.
Life as a virtual assistant opens a gateway of opportunities, away from the corporate culture. It illuminates the path to a truly “Healthy and happy living.’’
A virtual assistant provides numerable services to a business from a remote location. A virtual assistant can provide various services from administrative to financing, from the comfort of their home.
A virtual assistant to your business is what Jarvis is to Ironman. They are not present physically but play a vital role in your business.
A misconception that often prevails in people’s minds is that virtual assistants spend the majority of their day in bed, rather than being productive. But data prove the contrary
A recent study by Harvard Business Review revealed the following statistics:
- 13.5% more day-to-day tasks completed, the study is set in a call center, showed the employees attended 13.5% more calls.
- Significant decrease in the number of sick days
- Lower attrition rates
- Increased job satisfaction
There are a majority of the factors that contribute to the data stated above. From increased employee engagement to low-stress levels etc. all factors club together and result in higher productivity.
So, how does a typical day in a virtual assistant’s life look like?
As mentioned earlier, working virtually helps one make time for the things that they otherwise would miss out during the typical 9–5 work hours.
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Imagine a day without trying to find a transportation facility early in the morning to commute to your office. With your breakfast in your hands, you run towards catching the bus which, if missed, will give you a red line.
The Manifold Health Benefits
A recent article from Fast Company warns employers that they are at risk of losing their talent due to bad commutes. A new survey by staffing firm Robert Half also found that nearly one-quarter of workers have left a job due to a bad commute. Long commutes significantly take a toll on your stress levels. They can often also be a major factor in the early signs of anxiety and depression.
As a VA, a professional can eliminate any stress that arises due to long commutes. So a VA does not lose onto essential energy required for dealing with work on commute. Instead, he/she utilizes that energy and navigates it for a better task.
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Due to the elimination of the commute stress, a VA manages to have a hearty and healthy breakfast, unlike a regular employee who has synonymized breakfast with “coffee”, which has a large amount of negative effect on the employee’s health.
With a healthy and happy start to the day, VA’s also often make time for morning jogs/strolls, which is scientifically proven to have the maximum health benefits.
Some VA’s often also prefer a morning workout, to keep themselves energetic for the upcoming day. As a VA you can easily make out time from your schedule for a workout but taking out time for a workout as a regular employee is often impossible.
The long working hours are already so hectic that an employee cannot regain the energy to devote to a workout. Due to this, the lifestyle of a regular employee is often sedentary. A sedentary lifestyle is the root cause of various health conditions like obesity, cardiovascular conditions, etc.
A VA thus can maintain a healthy lifestyle and can avoid such issues.
The work of a VA generally starts as per his/her convenience. The deadlines are often flexible, unlike in the case of regular employees. This takes away a major slice from your daily stress pie.
A VA can thus manage his/her schedule more effectively away from the corporate hustle. He/she can curate a schedule that best fits their suitability, rather than monotonously follow a corporate schedule. This way a VA makes time for important things and is not stuck in the work-life balance maneuver throughout the day.
A recent study at Manchester Metropolitan University in the U.K. found that married people who work from home are happier than traditional workers. The conclusion that working at home could make you happier if you’re married is based in part on housework and home-based chores. Married remote workers reported feeling there was a fairer and more gender-neutral division of work done around the house. The study was based on responses from thousands of workers based in Switzerland and the U.K. The study found that “working from home, made married couples perceivably happier”
Not only can becoming a VA help out married couples, but it is also a blessing in disguise for single mothers, who are often perplexed between making a choice to go out and earn a living or stay at home with her children. As a VA, a single mother can juggle between both tasks efficiently.
A VA’s Success Story — Ms. Tawnya Sutherland
One such supermom, Tawnya Sutherland’s entrepreneurial journey started more than 18 years ago. As a divorced mother of three, she needed to find a way to put food on the table, a roof over their heads, and still find time to spend time with her kids. She went on to become a successful VA. This way her dilemma came to an end and she could easily earn a good amount and simultaneously spend time with her kids.
A VA also manages to inculcate habits like gardening and reading in his daily routine, something which is on the verge of extinction due to the corporate culture. Many virtual employees also go on to pursue their passions like painting etc along with their daily jobs without compromising their earnings.
Not only does a VA utilize a day to his/her maximum potential, but VA’s also improve their sleep quality significantly. A VA can maintain a regular sleeping routine, unlike regular employees who are often stuck in long office hours. A better sleep cycle reduces the chances of anxiety and depression as proved by a study conducted by Oxford Academic. The study revealed that people with long working hours had significantly more depressive and anxiety symptoms.
