Being a VA is a job with endless benefits and opportunities, but not unlike starting a new career in any other field or industry, your first month as a VA is most likely going to be filled with learning curves. From settling into your new routine of working from home, to learning how to help your clients run their business and utilise remote work softwares, there’s a lot to learn! We thought that it might be helpful to compile a list of what you may come across in your first month as a VA — the good and the hard!
No more morning commute
Your first month as a virtual assistant means no more daily commutes to the office — ah, the freedom of creating the morning routine you’ve always wanted. But while having this extra time is nice, we recommend sticking to a routine that fosters productivity. The freedom of creating your own schedule can make it tempting to drag out that morning routine and relax when you really should be working, especially in the first month when there’s most likely going to be a ton of back and forth between you and your client(s). As tempting as this can be, we know that you can push through and get to work, because staying committed is key in making sure month one as a VA is as smooth as possible!
Remote Work Software Galore
Working remotely as a virtual assistant means you wear the hats of a few people. You track your own hours, bill your clients, pay your employees, manage all of your clients projects, and so much more. Learning how to efficiently use remote work tools such as Clockify, Mail Chimp, Canva, Wordpress, and SEO optimization tools all at once can be overwhelming, but that feeling will pass and in no time you’ll be thriving.
Being your own boss is one thing, but learning how to work with clients as an actual VA can be a tough transition for both parties. It may, at times, feel as if it’s simply easier to not have a VA, but this is the most critical time to push through!
We’ve all been there! That first month with a client can be rough. But helping remind them, and yourself, that VAs allow business owners to focus on growth instead of the daily, boring tasks that don’t affect their bottom line can make it much easier to stick with it. It takes time to thoroughly learn how to do a job to the same standard as the person who was originally doing it, but patience from both parties will result in numerous hours being saved and a very satisfied client.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed as a new VA, reach out to us through our contact page and we’ll let you know how we can help! You can also find us posting daily VA related tips and tricks on our Instagram accounts @thatvirtuallife and @canadas.virtual.assistant. Let us know in the comments what your first month as a virtual assistant was like and if it was anything like what we’ve shared with you!