Are you busy handling your business or building your career? Often, we’re so focused on professional responsibilities that we neglect our personal lives.
You might find it hard to organize your family gatherings, remember important birthdays, or even take time for self-care.
Outsourcing some of these tasks to a virtual personal assistant (VPA) might help in your dilemma.
VPAs are virtual assistants that can manage your personal tasks and schedules, making it easier to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Here are some tasks virtual personal assistants can help with:
- Managing your personal calendar
- Managing incoming calls
- Organizing family events
- Making restaurant and travel reservations
- Handling family and personal errands
There are many things a VPA can do for you. It’s just a matter of tailoring their tasks to your lifestyle.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to further customize your VPA experience:
Assess Your Needs
This involves clarifying the tasks you need assistance with and what you aim to achieve with your virtual personal assistant.
For example, if you find yourself frequently missing important appointments or forgetting personal events due to a busy work schedule, you may prioritize scheduling and reminders as key tasks for your assistant to manage.
Establish Your Virtual Personal Assistant’s Working Hours
Next, establish the working hours of your virtual personal assistant.
Most VPAs work on a schedule and are not on call. (Some might be, but they can be expensive!)
So determine which particular times of the day you need your assistant the most to set clear boundaries and expectations for both of you.
For example, let’s say you have a hectic work schedule and often find it challenging to make time for errands such as laundry, ordering food, or scheduling appointments during the week.
You could define your assistant’s working hours to include weekday evenings from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM and weekends from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
You can also change their weekly schedule, depending on your needs.
Set Clear Expectations and Deadlines
Setting clear expectations and deadlines establishes mutual understanding, accountability, and efficiency.
For example, if your VPA is responsible for meal planning and grocery shopping, you can require them to submit the weekly meal plan every Sunday, including a list of ingredients.
Additionally, you can set a deadline for placing grocery shopping orders by Monday morning to ensure timely delivery or pickup.
This keeps both you and your virtual personal assistant on the same page regarding tasks and priorities, promoting optimal collaboration and productivity.
Choose a Task Management System
The right task management system ensures smooth communication, efficient organization, and prevents tasks from slipping through the cracks.
You could use a messaging app like Skype or Slack, or a project management app like Trello, for instance.
This allows you and your virtual personal assistant to collaborate effectively, stay organized, and track progress in real-time.
Take Back Control Over Your Life!
So by following the tips above, you can tailor-fit your VPA’s tasks to your lifestyle.
Now, you can relax and focus on the things that really matter knowing your virtual personal assistant has everything under control.
Don’t have a VPA yet? Click here to schedule a callback with Remote Staff and we’ll help you find the right one straightaway!
Leandro is a content creator and digital nomad who started his career as a remote working content writer. He is an advocate of location independent sources of income. And he believes that everyone has the ability to be one as well.