Virtual Overachievers

It can be said about most Virtual Assistants that we are overachievers. It can often even be an understatement. Virtual Assistants are All-Stars. It's in our nature. Always has been, always will be. That is why we are so driven in ensuring the success of our clients. We make great team players, which is why we team with our clients so well. We're also effective leaders, even of ourselves- that is precisely why we have the discipline to work for ourselves.

I have to admit that I love my overachiever part of me. My goal is that every client will wonder how on earth they ever managed before me. How did the sun manage to rise? Almost every other VA that I talk to seems to have that same mentality. Overall, I think it is a good (and certainly motivating) trait to have.

However, it's also easy to let that get out of control, and then your business begins running your life. I have been accused at times of not having proper balance in my life and letting my business take charge of me. As much as I initially tried to deny it, that person had a point- and unfortunately, a very good one.

I had always heard that starting a business takes a lot of time. It did. I heard it would be the challenge of my life. It was. I heard that I'd be working long hours, more than I had ever worked before. I did. My clients were happy. I kept getting more and more work. I'd start early in the morning and be found burning the midnight oil. I kept up my other responsibilities, but I lived for my business.

What I didn't realize is that my over-the-top approach to my business didn't include enjoying my life anymore- not my whole life, anyway. Once that came to my attention, I realized that I had to regain a sense of balance. I was really worried at first- would I still be a great Virtual Assistant if I wasn't working quite so many hours?

Months later after sticking to a reasonable set schedule later, I can conclusively say, yes. In fact, I think I am actually a more effective Virtual Assistant than before. My day was planned better and I used my time more efficiently, knowing I only have a certain amount allotted. I still get up early, but I only have a certain number of hours to work, regardless of when I start. Limiting my workday to a reasonable schedule was,without a doubt, the best thing that I have ever done for myself or my business.

If you find that you have been guilty, too, of letting your VA business run away with you, you may want to try the following tips:

• Establish set work times (yes, unforeseen circumstances may arise that you need to tend to, but that is the exception, not the rule).
• Plan your workday before you start. Prioritize your tasks and start at the top. Estimate how long each task will take and "map" out your day.
• Plan work time that is free of interruptions when you can concentrate best. Your clients deserve your full attention when you are on the clock.
• Communicate effectively with your clients. Knowing specific deadlines for each project will help you to plan well.
• Know your limits. Make sure that the projects you accept are ones that you can complete with excellence. Quality, not quantity counts most!
• Include time for promoting and marketing your business in your daily plan. Part of your work day is completing those tasks for yourself.
• When the day is over, step away from the computer. If you have an office, shut the door on the way out. After work, get back to the other parts of your life- family, friends, hobbies, etc.

Life is good, not just my Virtual Assistant service, but all of it. Being an overachiever is okay, until it takes over. Now, I have certain set hours to "overachieve" each day- and the rest belongs to me!