As a Virtual assistant operating a very successful Virtual Assistants business, V-Assist, probably I would have to say the single most important thing we do is save people time.
Certainly time of the essence for any person operating any sort of business- as the old saying goes – ‘time is money’ and making money is what it’s all about. It’s quite incredible however how many clients I encounter who really do battle with using their time effectively – and even more incredulously that it is just a few very simple things that could be saving them a huge amount of time!
There are actually Four simple effective ways to Maximise your time. I call it the four ‘D’s and here the are –
Diarise and update
Keeping a diary is simply the most effective way to ensure that every task will get done and by setting out a certain time to do it and maintaining that goal, you can maximise your daily tasks – and time. Some people prefer the traditional ‘write in’ diary, but there are of course many virtual versions and versions that can be mirrored to your phone, so your diary is always at hand.
The beauty of that is because the second most important rule after keeping a diary is to ensure it is constantly updated and that no task is left undone! Carry over anything not achieved from one day to the next. Also don’t waste time with constant updating. Just pick a short time at the end of every day to write in, organise and update it.
Download time saving apps
Use technology where it can help you. There are a number of great shortcuts that technology have provided for us so use them effectively. ‘The Balance Small Business’ (TBSM) lists online a number of time saving online applications that can potentially save you plenty of time. Here are just a few that I thought could be most useful:
Any.do – A tool that provides management of tasks, lists, and notes. It includes a sharing function perfect for small business owners who collaborate on projects with a team
Dropbox – Dropbox for Business is a secure file sharing and storage tool that provides a central storage location and collaboration platform for your business files
FreeAgent -An accounting-based dashboard that coordinates invoices, expenses, and bank accounts to help small business owners manage cash flow more effectively
Prezi – Cloud-based presentation software that creates interactive presentations that include an engaging “zooming” feature. This tool also includes collaboration
Timeful – This app is all about improving productivity. Users input things they want to do and advanced algorithms will make suggestions when to schedule them
Trello – A project management and collaboration tool that organizes projects into boards. Users can see the progress of any project instantly
Don’t get distracted
This may seem simplistic, but it is the biggest time waster of all. Learn to check out E-mails and social media posts and messages before and after work time and maybe when taking coffee breaks, but avoid getting distracted while you are engaged with something important.
Those annoying flags that constantly come up whilst you’re doing something on the lap top or audio alerts that disturb you when working elsewhere, should be removed if they cannot be ignored. What’s app groups in particular, would best be muted until you can view them in allocated time!
Don’t do yourself what you don’t have to
As they say – ‘last but not least’ – the reason people like us Virtual assistants are in business is because we serve that vital function of doing the things for you that you really don’t need to be doing – thereby saving you the most time of all.
Let us get on with all those things that distract you and don’t warrant taking any of that precious time you should be spending doing your job and making money.
Written by Jutta Dudley of V-Assist Email her at jutta@v-assist.co.za or phone her at
Tel : +27 114653072 Cell: +27825731261