7 ways to maximize productivity with virtual assistants

Whether you work in an office or at home, running a business takes a lot of work. It’s challenging being a person who wears several hats.

At times, trying to get everything done can start to take its toll. And unfortunately, juggling too many tasks leads to a decrease in productivity.

The reality is that there’s only one of you and not enough hours in the day. At some point, you have to realize that you’re not the only person who can get things done.

Why not hire a virtual assistant to help you out?

Hiring a virtual assistant can create some time for you to focus on the most critical tasks. Instead of trying to do everything yourself, you can delegate select jobs to your assistant. There’s no doubt your productivity will improve.

Wondering which tasks to assign to your VA? We have some ideas.

Here are seven ways a virtual assistant can help you maximize productivity:

1. Organize Your Digital Data

Organizing your digital files takes a lot of time, and if you’re already busy, there’s no way to do it yourself.

Hire a virtual assistant, and they can take care of this time-consuming task for you!

If your documents and images are scattered across several devices, ask your VA to move them all to one location.

Get a Dropbox or Google Drive account and have your assistant move them all there. They can even sort them into folders and sub-folders. (Just make sure your assistant lets you know where things are so you can find them!)

After your assistant uploads and organizes all your data, you’ll feel relieved. Thanks to their help, your documents will now be in one place!

2. Research Topics and Software

Research is another activity that takes a lot of time. With another person’s help, you can get answers to your questions a lot faster.

For example, you might be on the hunt for a new CRM software program. If you don’t know where to start or don’t have the time, have a virtual assistant do the research.

An assistant can prepare a comparison report detailing the differences between software programs.

Their research will help you decide which CRM is the best fit for you. In that regard, hiring a virtual assistant most definitely will pay off!

3. Communicate With Other Team Members

Assuming you have other team members, a virtual assistant can help bridge the gap.

They can set up meetings between team members (more on this next), and act as a central point of contact.

You can also put them in charge of delegating tasks to the rest of the team.

Think of a virtual assistant as an extension of you. Don’t be afraid to have them handle all of your communication tasks.

Of course, you should still make sure that your team members can reach you if they need to. But by delegating some of your communication tasks to your assistant, you’ll spend less time answering emails and have more time to focus on other tasks!

4. Manage Your Calendar

Managing your schedule is time-consuming. Thankfully, a virtual assistant can do it for you.

A good assistant will be able to set your appointments and ensure that you’re where you need to be at all times.

All you have to do is give them access to your Google Calendar (or whichever scheduling app you use). That way, you’ll receive notifications on your phone to let you know where you need to be.

Make sure to set them up with a company email account. You can even make their address the primary address on the company’s website so that all inquiries are directed to them.

If your calendar is good hands, managing your schedule will be a piece of cake.

5. Book Flights and Hotels

Booking travel arrangements can be exhausting. It takes a lot of time to find a good hotel and shop around for the best flight deals.

But with a virtual assistant, you don’t have to worry about any of that. They can log on, book your flights, and find you a decent hotel room.

And once they book your arrangements, they can add it to your calendar. All you have to do is make it to the terminal on time.

Traveling is going to be easier than ever before!

6. Recruit New Team Members

Hiring new team members is essential if your company is growing. But it’s also stressful and takes a lot of time.

A virtual assistant can write your job listings and weed through applications. They can even help with interviews. This can make the whole process a lot simpler.

It’ll be nice delegating this task to them so you can focus on other business matters.

But, be sure to hire an assistant that you are confident can do this job. Before you involve them in the interview process, make sure they know exactly what types of candidates you’re seeking.

7. Assist with Digital Marketing

These days, digital marketing is crucial. Blogging and maintaining your social media profiles can help you expand your market and drive sales.

But it can also be very, very distracting. Logging on to Instagram to promote your brand can turn into an hour of watching cat videos and looking at cake recipes.

Hiring an assistant for social media can help you stay on task.

Figure out which social media channels you want to focus on and have your assistant take the reigns. You’ll waste less time on Facebook, and you’ll be able to tend to tasks that only you can do.

In Conclusion

A virtual assistant can take some weight off your shoulders. The right person can bring serious value to your business.

It may take some time to find the perfect person, so be patient. Once you find a good fit, you’ll be amazed at how much time and money they save you.

There’s no way you can do everything on your own. Getting a virtual assistant allows you to narrow your focus and use your time more effectively.

With an assistant’s help, you’re going to become a productive and successful professional!
 
 
 
About the author

Dominique Daniels is the Business Manager for Anthology at Vista Station.