Time − you can never have enough of it. However, there is a way around to boost your efficacy, and that is by hiring a virtual assistant (VA). A virtual assistant, or remote assistant, can work either part time or full time. What this does is to free up your own time. Think about it − you hire a virtual assistant to attend to low-level tasks. Such a move will cost far less than your valuable time. Your schedule is then freed up. You can then increase time for yourself as a practical measure, while your performance is enhanced.
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Why doesn’t everyone have a VA?
You have to ask that question – if a virtual assistant is so great, why aren’t they more popular? Perhaps people are hesitant to take on the unknown. But for your sake, let us look at why and how to onboard a virtual assistant.
The Pareto Principle
According to the Pareto principle all outcomes will be 80 percent consequences of 20 percent causes. A small cause can have a massive effect. This concept helps you to think about where you should focus your energy to make the most impact. The goal is to achieve the 20 percent zone. This is a struggle for many entrepreneurs and founders trying to manage their time. As they say, time is money. Your goal should be to do as much as possible, thus earning the most. Entrepreneurs are grasping that they can offboard that 80 percent by outsourcing it to a virtual assistant.
What is that 80 percent?
That 80 percent is not your critical core work. In fact, it comprises tasks that are normally admin focused, thus work that someone else can take care of for you. A good idea is to run through your daily, weekly, and monthly tasks, writing them down. Then consider carefully and mark the 20 percent that is core work; the remainder (that 80 percent) will not be part of your core work − it wastes your time. Don’t therefore be tempted to take that 80 percent and outsourcing it all at once. This is where some make a big mistake – you need to do this gradually.
Slow and steady wins the race
If you jump into the deep end, and you aren’t a swimmer, you will drown. Start slowly. Also, your remote assistant will need feedback from you. They need you to guide them, and to model the work at the beginning. Moreover, trust must be built between both parties. The goal is to find someone to do your 80 percent better than you can. You will also learn a lot about the work you have been doing in the process. New ways of working can be suggested, and in many cases the automation of some of the work can be achieved. Still, delegate your outcomes. (Don’t delegate your tasks, as this will allow people to adjust meaning?). If yours is a long-term goal, all the small wins will add up to a huge success.
Let’s talk about the 20 percent
With a massive amount of work removed, you are left with just 20 percent. This 20 percent is the ‘best that’, or the ‘only that’ matters. In other words, the 20 percent would be the work only you can do, and now you can do it better. If this is true, you keep it on your list. However, if it is not – then it should not be on this list. It can then be moved to your 80 percent list. However, place it at top of the 80 percent list to show that it is still an important task. In any case, what is left is your core work; the rest will be taken care of by your virtual assistant. Another way of thinking about this is that the 20% is where you can add the most value, and that will lead to the largest revenue gain. This is something successful entrepreneurs have grasped, and how these highly productive people spend their time. If you need a virtual personal assistant, then hire one. Regardless of the type of virtual assistant, they will assist you to perform your work even better, providing you with more time for more important issues.