6 Ways to Enjoy Work-Life Harmony in Your Virtual Assistant Business

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It’s easy to fall into the trap of overworking and not switching off from thinking about work. Here are some tips to help you disconnect and enjoy work-life harmony in your virtual assistant business.

When working from home, you don’t easily experience the same closure of walking out of the office every evening and sliding into home mode. 

So let’s look at 6 ways to create work-life harmony in your virtual assistant business.

1. Have A Designated Work Space

As a Virtual Assistant, you should have part of your home that is only used for business. A separate room for a home office is the best solution, but if you don’t have the space for that, a dedicated workstation will do just fine. 

Make sure that this space is only used for business purposes (this can be important for tax reasons too).

If you’re in your living room, make the boundaries clear by keeping the television and radio switched off and avoid the temptation of doing housework in between tasks. Keep work and home life as separate as possible.

2. Schedule Downtime

Downtime is just as important as work time. If you don't make it a habit to take time out, you'll soon suffer from burnout. It's important that you get some relaxation.

• Be clear about your working hours.
• Make downtime a priority by scheduling it in your calendar just as you'd do with other activities.
• Resist the temptation to check work emails.
• Turn off notifications.

Everything related to your virtual assistant business should be done only during designated “work” time. If you think of something you need to do, put it on your to-do list for the next day.

Take time off...and stay off 😉

For more support, check out my Switching Off With Success Bundle. 

3. Stick to A Working Week

One of the great things about running your own business is that you don’t need to stick to the 9-5 schedule anymore. However, it can be helpful to create a work schedule anyway. This helps by clarifying the division between work and non-work time.

Off days are also essential – you need time away from work to recharge. Keep to having specific days that are workdays and two days a week when it’s your 'no work' time.

The off days don’t have to be Saturday and Sunday; you can choose which days work best for you and your business but do take time off.

4. Learn Time Management Techniques

With only a certain amount of time to spend on your business each day, you have to make the best use of this time.

It’s beneficial to learn some basic time management techniques. For example, decide how long each task should take. This keeps you from spinning your wheels and wasting precious working time.

Also, find ways to delegate, automate, and trim tasks that aren’t necessary or don't need to be done by you.

5. Work Efficiently

In addition to time management, think of ways to improve your efficiency to get more out of your work day.

Reduce distractions. Schedule breaks throughout the day to refresh yourself and maintain concentration.

If there’s something you need to do that’s not related to your business, schedule a time to do it during break or after work is done.

6. Prioritize Self-Care

Self-care is vital when you work from home. You might feel tempted to work all hours, but you also need time to exercise, get some pampering, and take care of yourself.

Be intentional about what you eat as well. Try to stick to a healthy, nutritious diet. Make sure you take lunch breaks, stay well-hydrated, and get a good night’s sleep. 

Final Thoughts

There is no perfect solution for work-life harmony. It’s something you have to keep working on as you grow your virtual assistant business. But you will get better at it over time and it will benefit your business and your personal life.

Need more tips about working from home? Check out my Work From Home: Prepping For Success mini-course.