Category: virtual assistance

Five Quick Ways to Stay Organized at Work

Five Quick Ways to Stay Organized at Work

Staying organized at work is one of the things that you should focus on in order to avoid delays in accomplishing your tasks. Be reminded that without your working materials or references in order, you may spend more time looking for the inputs you need than doing the activity itself.

Fortunately, there are quick ways to stay organized and keep yourself focused on your goals. Here are a few that could help you step up your game in the workplace:

Make a list. A list would keep you organized in a way that you would not be distracted by other activities apart from your priority ones. By creating a priority list, you would be able to identify even your high and low priority tasks. This would direct you where to start.

You can make daily, weekly, or monthly lists. This would keep you guided on what to do next every time instead of carrying out things impulsively.

Take a break. Being organized at work also requires concentration, and you would not be able to attain this without being fueled regularly. You also need to take a break to recharge your energy and keep your mind focused.

Without doing so, you may have the impulse to multitask to accommodate your handful of activities, which is never effective. Take note that doing things simultaneously would take more time instead of one after the other.

Make use of technology. If sticky notes have been your friend previously to stay organized, you have more options with the advanced technology today. You may use calendar applications, which will make your schedule well planned out. 

Apart from calendar apps, you may also use digital notes on your desktop, which will keep you reminded of various things you need to pay attention to.

There are also time trackers, which you may utilize to ensure you are spending considerable time for every task you have.

Practice setting aside distractions. Setting your workspace either in the office or at home requires getting rid of the distractions. If you are fond of television, it is best to place it far from your office to ensure you would stay focused while working. On the other hand, if social media is what keeps you from working productively, then it is best to log out from your accounts while on your shift.

Declutter your space. Maintaining a clean workspace is one way of staying organized. If you mostly work on paperworks, then you should file your documents orderly. Use cabinets and filing systems, if necessary. 

Apart from your office itself, your PC or laptop should be free from clutter, as well. Make it a routine to delete corrupted, old, and nonessential files. This goes the same with your mail inbox. It is best to delete redundant and unneeded messages to free more space for your new mails.

With the provided ways, you would be able to start a better routine at work. It is a process that you should practice to see results. Simply be persistent and you will see how beneficial it is to stay organized.

Seven Best Practices in Scheduling a Virtual Meeting

Seven Best Practices in Scheduling a Virtual Meeting

Meeting via web would always be part of a virtual assistant’s professional life, given the fact communication is a foundation for his or her work. Apart from e-mails and written messages, meeting either via call or video conferencing is one way to coordinate tasks, clarify matters, ask questions, and even share ideas with your co-workers.

Nonetheless, scheduling a virtual meeting is not as easy as selecting a date and time on the calendar. There are also considerations to make for both parties. Be reminded that meetings would be part of a worker’s schedule. Hence, it is imperative that it would not affect any of the person’s commitments, projects, and daily tasks.

There are best practices in scheduling a virtual meeting, which you could apply right away, such as the following:

Identify if a meeting is indeed necessary. According to The Muse’s survey, executives view over 67 percent of meetings as failures. This is despite how much time and money are spent on meetings. The said survey also found out that over US$37 billion is spent on these valueless meetings.

Given the fact, you should consider whether a meeting should be scheduled or otherwise. There may be another way to coordinate the agenda of the conversation, which may take less time. For instance, an e-mail may be sent instead with detailed information of the concern. At the very least, one can check it out without having to dedicate a chunk of time, which could have been allocated for more important tasks.

Schedule meetings in advance. Always consider that the persons involved in the meeting would need time to prepare for the discussion based on the agenda. Setting a meeting at least a couple of days, in advance, could be very helpful. This would even keep the people from scheduling other commitments that may coincide with the meeting.

Consider the opportune times for all the meeting attendees. If you want to make the meeting efficient, it is best to schedule it at a time that is convenient to all. Avoid the end of the work week for this is the time that most are trying to keep up with their deadlines. 

You should also consider if Mondays are indeed friendly for all, for some may find the start of the week the busiest, while the others do devote it to touch-base communication.

Never forget the preferred platform of attendees. It is best to settle with a communication platform that works for all. For instance, some may prefer using Skype, while others are used to Zoom conferencing. If you will schedule a virtual meeting, always inquire what application works best for all, if not, for most.

Invite only relevant people for the discussion. There are meetings that require a lot of workers in attendance without actually giving a reason for their participation. At the end of the day, they become an audience to a discussion they would not be a part of, instead of spending their time on more important activities.

The goal of a meeting is to clarify concerns, solve problems, and check the status of activities within the organization. The persons involved in the meeting should be the ones that could provide input and collaborate. With key attendees, the objective of the meeting would be met much more easily and quickly.

For instance, if the Assistant Manager is in attendance instead of the Manager himself or herself, it is likely that some matters may still need to be clarified with the latter right after the meeting. Time could have been saved if the Manager was in attendance in the first place.

Always include the agenda in the meeting schedule. Do not simply send a calendar invite when scheduling a meeting. It is best to include the agenda in the event description. Should there be materials involved, these should be attached, as well. Sending the files separately may actually bring confusion and cause attendees to miss it.

Set short meetings. Lengthy meetings could keep the participants from being involved. The longer a meeting is, the more the attendees could be anxious about other tasks they are working on. If you could set a meeting that is 30 minutes the longest in duration, then you should do so. This could be done without complications as long as there is an agenda in place.

Designating a schedule for a meeting could either make or break one’s day at work. With the practices provided above, you would be able to schedule virtual meetings more effectively without compromising anyone’s productivity. If there are statistics showing that meetings are unproductive, it does not mean that you should let it be that way in your organization. They can also be meaningful and constructive, as long as they are managed appropriately.

How to Handle Calls Like a Professional

How to Handle Calls Like a Professional

Calls would always be part of a virtual assistant’s routine, regardless of whether his or her tasks are centered on customer service or otherwise. A remote worker, given the long distance from his or her client, has to make calls to coordinate tasks, share ideas, ask questions, and make clarifications, whenever necessary.

Nonetheless, not all can make calls properly. There are some, who are still having a hard time making sure they sound professional when communicating via call. This could be a hindrance to maintaining seamless relations between the virtual assistant and his or her co-workers. It is not always efficient to settle with e-mails and personal messages.

If you are among those, who have to ring a person from time to time, it is imperative you are aware of how a call should be done professionally. There are simple ways to do so, such as the following:

Answer promptly. It is highly unprofessional if you let calls ring continuously without picking them up right away or sending them to voicemail. This actually takes much of the caller’s time.

If you are not available, a voicemail is a good hint. Moreover, if you can pick it up and inform you may have a conversation at a later time, it would be much more helpful.

Always start with a professional greeting. You should always keep in mind that the person at the end of the line may not always be the one you are expecting. This is regardless of having a caller ID system in place. 

It is always best to start with a polite greeting, such as “Good morning” or “Good day.” To make it sound more professional, you may also add your name as an introduction upon picking up the call.

Speak clearly and slowly. You need to avoid speaking at a faster pace to avoid misunderstanding and confusion. It is best to stay calm while talking to make sure you are conveying your thoughts properly. 

If you have a certain accent that may be difficult for some to comprehend, the more you should follow this.

Additionally, if you are used to adding fillers, like “uh,” “uhm,” and “like,” you should practice avoiding those words while making calls. The more straightforward your sentences are, the better the conversation would be.

Smile while on a call. If you want to provide warmth to the person you are talking to, it is best to smile while on a call. This would give your voice a friendly tone. Regardless of the purpose of the call, you will get off on the right foot.

Make sure to call back, if promised. Being professional means you stand by your word. If you have informed the person that you will call back, then you should do so. Should you have specified a fixed date and time, then you should not be earlier or later than the schedule.

If you cannot make it, it is best to leave a message and request for another convenient time to continue your call.

Avoid putting the call on speaker. Putting your call on speaker would give an impression that you are not making the conversation private. This may make the person you are talking to uncomfortable, especially if the topic being discussed is sensitive and critical.

Speaker may be set if you have notified beforehand and it could be effective if you are having a call with a group of people.

Follow the transfer protocol properly. A reason to transfer the call is necessary so that the person would be aware that his or her concern is best addressed by another member of the organization.

Moreover, if a transfer would be done, you should also be certain that the person to pick up the call is available. 

With the given tips above for better handling of calls at work, you would find it easier to coordinate with the members of the organization, partners, and even clients. Maintaining good communication is pivotal in remote work, and this covers making a call now and then. Some matters are best conferred about through calls instead of written messages. Hence, making sure this communication means is done advantageously is synonymous to attaining work efficiency.

Why Positive Attitude at Work Is Crucial

Why Positive Attitude at Work Is Crucial

Have you ever felt that you are often in a sulky mood these days? Do you think that oftentimes, you tend to forget your responsibilities at work? Have you ever thought that there is a relationship between your current mood and how you perform at work? Most likely, the answer is yes.

As a forthright explanation to your queries, there are various studies, which have proven that one’s attitude is correlational with your productivity and efficiency in your job.

A study led by Labour Economics’ researchers found out that there is a link between employees’ mindset in the workplace and the sales they produce. The sample is composed of thousands of employees in a US-based bank’s 193 branches. According to their analysis, more financial products have been sold whenever workers’ attitude leans on positivity, resulting in the bank’s increased income.

From a different perspective, one’s disposition at work is not all about the company’s benefit. There are also perks an employee could reap by maintaining a positive attitude in the workplace:

Decreased stress. Stress is a major adversary whenever working. There is no denying that you cannot avoid it regardless of your job. However, a positive attitude could help you handle your day-to-day work more effectively. Why? Being anxious amid problems would not get you anywhere. On the other hand, if you are composed, you can find solutions more easily. Hence, you will decrease your stress level. The more you sustain positivity, the more you can eliminate stress in any form.

Nurtured respect. Having a positive attitude is equivalent to avoiding conflict with your team members, which includes gossip. By ensuring that spreading rumors is cut off all at once, which you may initiate to do so, you can keep respect in the organization.

Remember, you are all professionals. Maintaining the gap between personal life and work should always be in your mind, as well. Instead of spending time talking about someone else’s life, it is best to share ideas and thoughts on bettering one’s work.

Higher self-confidence. If you have a positive attitude, it would be much easier for you to motivate yourself in doing tasks, which are not simply your usual activities but new ones, as well. This implies you would be a risk-taker in response to developing your skills.

Being positive ensures that you would not hold back yourself to challenges. Furthermore, you will not be afraid to fail since the positive mindset in you reminds you that failures happen and you can just try again.

Better leadership. A positive attitude is a must if you are leading a team in your organization. Keep in mind that if you send a bad message to your team members while working, such as lack of encouragement, poor judgment, and hopelessness in stressful situations, your work will surely fail. This is despite having the most proficient co-workers you can find.

If you radiate the feeling of being positive in any situation, your team members would certainly mirror this. Should you show them that failure is only a setback and a step to success, they will not be intimidated by the possibility of making errors. Instead, they will face the challenge and work relentlessly until the team’s objective is achieved.

Healthier body. Negative thoughts can keep your body unhealthy given it may cause heart failure in the long run. Several studies have proven that cardiovascular problems are triggered by negative constructs. Moreover, if you keep a positive attitude, protecting your heart will be much easier, which can be seen as equivalent to a healthier you.

Additionally, Psychological stress and the human immune system: a meta-analytic study of 30 years of inquiry stated that being under prolonged stress could impact your immune system negatively. As a solution, practicing positive thinking could help you control your immunity. Remember, you need an all-functioning immune system to keep you from various diseases.

Having a healthier body has a relation to your job performance. Evidently, if your body fails, you will either miss reporting to the office for the day or not be able to work long-term.

The aforementioned perks of having a positive attitude show that having a negative mindset has grave consequences. It is not centered on your workplace efficiency, but it can impact your life generally.

Circumstances warranting negative feelings cannot be avoided, but you should remember that you are in control. You can turn these negative situations around by considering them as opportunities for growth.

How to Have a Proactive Mindset as a Remote Worker

How to Have a Proactive Mindset as a Remote Worker

Working effectively as a remote worker is not all about having the skills and experience. You also need to have that proactive mindset to maintain your good performance. There are virtual assistants, who have a lot of potential when it comes to delivering great work, but fail to do so given they are not driven enough. They are held back by their lack of a proactive mindset.

In order to avoid the aforementioned situation, you also have to consider conditioning yourself as a proactive remote worker. You cannot always rely on external factors to keep you motivated to do well at work, such as your team members, your organization, or your personal condition.

To help you have a proactive mindset, you may try carrying out the following:

Do not dwell on your past mistakes. If you made errors at work, do not dwell on them. Otherwise, you would not be able to better yourself. Consider the fact that all make mistakes, especially if new to the tasks. What is more important is to consider what lies ahead.

By accepting that you may err from time to time, your thinking would not be constrained and you can prevent feeling demotivated. You will be more willing to learn and take on challenges, which are characteristics that would make you a proactive remote worker.

Learn the power of prioritizing. Know that you cannot do every task provided to you. If you want to make the most out of having initiative, you should create a priority list. By making sure you are focusing on more important tasks, you would be able to avoid time wastage and missed deadlines.

Identifying the priority level of your activities will help you schedule your day-to-day work more effectively. You can assign a specific timeframe for each task and even your due date for it (which is different from the actual one). This would help ensure to set aside a time gap, which will allow you to review your work and edit it should there be problems.

Be prompt in communication. You would never look professional or proactive if you do not practice responding promptly when communicating. This is regardless of the platform you use (e-mail, message, or call).

For e-mail or message, regardless of having to check references before sending a reply, it is best to notify the person that you will be sending feedback by a certain time.

If you fail to respond to messages, being proactive means you also have to be willing to apologize. This may happen, particularly if you are caught up with lots of appointments.

Alongside being prompt, you will be proactive if you also consider the way you compose your response. Double check if you have addressed all concerns and if an attachment is necessary, make sure it is already included.

In terms of calls, it is always best to pick up to give an indication that you are always ready to offer any help to your bosses, team members, or customers. Be straightforward whenever speaking via call. If you need to call back, inform them about it right away and provide a specific time when you will ring them again. If you still need to verify some things before giving them concise responses, you also have to provide this information.

Be open to feedback. Having a proactive mindset also means you are willing to find out what your co-workers think about your performance at work. If they provide you reviews, make sure to welcome them. On the other hand, should they specify matters for improvement given your declining productivity and efficiency, you should take note of it. Be reminded that their insights are your means of targeting your weak points.

Know that the feedback given to you should not be taken personally. You also have to keep in mind that your performance is not about you solely since it can affect the entire organization.

Maintain a positive attitude. Being proactive also means that you are always willing to work harmoniously with everyone. You should always be approachable in times of need. Moreover, regardless of being in a situation full of tension, you should always try hard to keep your cool and be thoughtful of others.

The way you work with others can actually weigh down your skills. No matter how adept are, if you fail to get along with the people around you, collaboration would fail miserably. 

You will win more if you become proactive. This is not only in terms of becoming a better remote worker, but being someone that your co-workers can rely on. It is not a swift process, but as long as you practice it, you will definitely achieve your goal.