If you"re spending more time on busywork than on growing your business, it"s probably time to hire a VA (Virtual Assistant). With today"s technology, hiring an assistant doesn"t entail purchasing a new computer, phone and office furniture, etc., or sharing your space with someone else. You don"t even need to live in the same city.
It makes economic sense and frees you up to do what"s really important to your business. Having a VA is fast becoming essential for the busy entrepreneur. Virtual assistants are usually trained to perform a variety of tasks, but if you need help in a different area, your VA will likely have a network of competent associates who can help. You might even choose to hire multiple assistants with different specialties.
Before you start searching online for your new assistant, it"s a good idea to know how you really spend your time (we have an online tool to help), and understand what your high-payoff activities are. Then you can make a list of the tasks you can hand over. Answer these questions to start:
1. Do you have time gaps between your tasks? If so, what do you spend your time doing between tasks?
2. If your time gaps total a significant amount of time, how can you decrease the amount of time you spend between projects?
3. Are you spending a lot of your time on low priority tasks? Evaluate why these tasks take you so long. Could any of these tasks be delegated or contracted out?
4. What times during the day are your "prime times" when you are most productive?
5. Evaluate which tasks you should do during your "prime times."
6. What are the most important observations you will take away from this exercise?
7. Name and explain your top three "time goals."
Multiply your manpower by hiring a VA so that you can focus on your business, not your busywork!