Handling Life's Curveballs

When you work as a Virtual Assistant your business depends on you getting the work done. When things are going well, it’s pretty easy to handle the day to day. But when life throws a curveball it can be difficult to navigate.

Recently, life threw me several big curveballs – AND they all came at the same time. I was juggling an 18th birthday party for my daughter, her high school graduation and party, and a family reunion, all in the span of three weeks. I was way out of my comfort zone and I was having trouble concentrating on my work.

Happily, I’m on the other side of it. Today I share 5 tips on getting work done when the curveballs come your way!

1. Prioritize your to do list. Touching base with my clients is always on my list. But since that is more about suggesting new project ideas to them, I moved it to a later date. I made sure to pay attention first to the time-sensitive work.
2. Settle into your work. When there’s a lot on my mind and I need to get going, I start with easy, familiar work. That gives me a feeling of completion. When I have trouble focusing I take a lap around the inside of the house and then sit back down. And I make sure my favorite music is playing on Pandora!
3. Stick with your routine. Although I was less productive during this stressful time, I still sat at my desk and kept going. I made a list of what needed to get done so I could move to the next job as soon as I finished the last. This helped make life feel more normal.
4. Communicate with clients. There were a few deadlines that I needed to move during this time, but for those that were at risk, I let my clients know well in advance. They were appreciative and we worked out new timelines that worked for both of us. The worst – worst! – thing you can do is wait to tell a client about a missed deadline until it is due.
5. Keep it to yourself. While our clients may love us, they don’t always want to know the details of our personal lives – especially when there is less than fabulous news. They may also respond by wanting to “take care of you,” a feeling which can translate into not sending you work. That’s the LAST thing you want. So keep your personal challenges private with clients.

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A business workflow and productivity expert with 25 years of experience, RocketGirl Solutions Founder Belinda Wasser is hired by small businesses on a contract basis to act as their part-time, “business manager.”

In addition, she is the Founder of the VA Connection, a professional online community with the goal of educating and connecting independent virtual assistants around the world. Join her free online classroom here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevaconnection/