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The Virtual
Wire
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What Work Should I Give My VA?
Fundamentally, anything and everything that you don't personally need to do can be assigned to your VA.
When you give her everything that isn't a core function for you, you free yourself up to do more of that core function, and, ostensibly, to make more money.
So, you want to begin with evaluating what exactly is going on in your business that doesn't need your attention. And the best way to do that is to keep a list for a week. Although time-consuming, doing this activity will show you pretty clearly what's been keeping you overwhelmed.
Keep a pad of paper on your desk, or use your PDA, or whatever other means makes sense to you. Every single time you do something that COULD have been done by someone else, make a note of it. So, every email, fax, phone call, update to your schedule, any internet research, any product shipping, mailings (you're getting the idea, I'm sure) that you don't need to handle will be on that list. Additionally, bigger things (e.g., planning a vacation, finding a cleaning service for your office, working with a printer to get your collateral materials ready for a conference), and maybe even personal things (e.g., rescheduling an appointment with your dentist, having your dry cleaning delivered to your home, finding you a perfect romantic spot for dinner on Saturday in a neighboring town) will be on that list.
Be rigorous. If you think you need to handle something, really challenge yourself. Is it? Or is there just a control issue at hand that you can work through in order to change the way and the amount you work?
At the end of the week, look at the list. If you're like most people, you'll be astounded by how much you actually do in a week. Then you're likely to wonder just how a VA is going to get it all done. Don't worry about it... chances are, she won't. At least not personally. If we each learned 500 new things a day, we'd still never know how to do it all, nor would we want to. So, while there will be a lot of things your VA will actually do herself, what matters most is that she has the vast resources to get it all handled. And AssistU VAs do. Of course, there's always the odd request no one can be prepared for, but that's where our community comes in. Your VA has access to hundreds of other fabulously prepared VAs, and she can ask for assistance, referrals to resources — anything at all that she needs in order to handle whatever you toss out to her. Of course, if you have a resource you'd like to use, letting her know would be a good idea. But otherwise, feel sure that what she can't do herself, she'll get done.
So, create the list. Find the right VA for you. Share the list. Then get busy thinking about how you're going to fill all that free time you'll have! Do you want more time with your family? More time to work directly with customers? More time to grow the business? The choice is absolutely yours when you create more time for yourself by appropriately delegating work to a VA perfectly suited to being your partner for success!
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