It’s no surprise that, with everything happening these days, you may have a lot more on your plate than you used to, as far as work is concerned. Even after delegating, there may still be too many for you to handle effectively. If that’s the case, you’re not alone. Other business owners and entrepreneurs have chosen to hire virtual assistant Philippines to handle tasks they just don’t have time for.
Whether you’re looking to outsource executive assistant services to handle your calendar and set appointments, or seeking a more generic assistant who’ll take care of more routine tasks, the question remains the same. How much should you delegate, and which tasks should you keep?
Email Management
For many entrepreneurs and executives, email management is the most time-consuming task on their to-do list. Studies have shown that, on average, it takes a person 23 minutes to refocus after being interrupted. If you open an email in the middle of another task, it doesn’t matter how short it actually was; you still lost at least 20 potentially productive minutes.
Now, you may feel apprehensive about giving someone else control over your inbox, but if you’re working with a reputable company, there’s actually very little risk.
For many virtual assistants, email management is a common task. Most already know how to handle simple requests, and they know to delete spam messages. They’ll also inform you if they see anything urgent. If clients email you directly, give your VA some guidelines on how to respond to such emails.
Schedule Management
If you spend a lot of time on sending emails back and forth just trying to decide on a date and time to meet with someone, you have less time to be productive. Using meeting scheduling tools is a big step up, but you have to remember to update the calendar when needed, and that still takes time you could otherwise use to grow your business.
On the other hand, if you have a virtual assistant keep track of your schedule each day or each week, they can update your calendar as soon as something comes up, and they can remind you to prepare for a meeting ahead of time so you’re not rushing. They can also contact other parties involved if a meeting needs to be rescheduled, leaving you free to focus on your more important tasks for the day. With some guidance, they’ll also know when to decline meetings, so your calendar is free for only the important appointments.
Data Entry
Of all the routine tasks, data is the most tedious and repetitive. In fact, many affordable virtual assistants specialize in data entry. They can help you collect, sort, and input data using the software you choose, so you never need to worry about the relevancy of the data, or whether it’s up to date. Just make sure the VA you choose has a good eye for detail and is meticulous, to minimise the chances that they’ll make a mistake somewhere.
