Running a business is hard. There are so many things to consider on a daily basis and the list of tasks to complete is truly endless. The constant requirement to keep juggling numerous balls can be tricky and sometimes there are a few warning signs just before the balls start to fall...
1) Your email inbox is a mess – there’s a constant ‘ping’ of new emails coming in but you’re just not getting any time to be able to read them, deal with them or file them. It doesn’t take long before your email correspondence becomes unmanageable and you run the risk of missing something important, losing crucial information or just drowning in a sea of electronic communication. A Virtual Assistant can easily keep on top of your emails, respond on your behalf, alert you to anything important and keep your inbox in tip-top condition.
2) You’re not keeping up with the important stuff – there are certain tasks that a business owner can’t forget about; If you don’t keep up with marketing, new business will stop coming in; failure to send out invoices and the money will stop coming in; and missing the deadline for your tax return could cost you a small fortune! Whether or not you hire a Virtual Assistant to take care of the above tasks or to look after the myriad of other administrative duties that also need attention allowing you to concentrate on the big stuff, it won’t take long before everything is back on track.
3) Your business stops growing – whether you’re a new start-up or have been trading for years, the purpose of most businesses is to grow. When this stops happening, the red flags should be appearing, prompting you to ask why. It is highly likely that the growth of your business has created an increase in workload and you haven’t taken any action to increase the workforce to cope with this. Although it may be commendable for you to take on the brunt of additional work, there are only so many hours in the day, so the time is going to come when this isn’t a viable option anymore. Instead of taking on a full or part time member of staff, hiring a Virtual Assistant is the perfect solution to get things back in order whilst you evaluate the situation for the long-term.
4) You’re not seeing family or friends – it usually starts off with you missing the occasional event but before you know it, you’re getting home when everyone else is asleep, you have dinner alone most days and you can’t remember the last time you had a night out with friends. Even if it’s for just a few hours a week, a Virtual Assistant can give you the freedom to commit to some quality time with your loved ones. Instead of taking care of those mundane administrative tasks every evening, getting a VA to take care of them will mean getting home at a reasonable hour to eat dinner with your family.
5) Your head is scrambled – unfortunately there comes a time when everything can just get on top of you. The build-up of so many ‘small’ things to fret about can often lead to one big black cloud looming overhead and once it’s there, it can be so hard to imagine the sunshine returning anytime soon. Sometimes, all you need is an extra pair of hands to share the workload, ease the pressure and lighten the load. Hiring a Virtual Assistant to help out can be a part or full time, short or long term solution until the clouds have lifted.
So, how many of these five signs do you recognise? If you have experienced any of these warning signs, it may be time to think about enlisting a little help. Just a few hours a week may be all you need to get back on track so hiring a Virtual Assistant could be the answer to your prayers!
If this sounds familiar, give Girl Friday a call...