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A Day in the Life of a Professional Virtual Assistant
A Day in the Life of a Professional Virtual Assistant
Breon Bradley 06-14-2024 3 min read
Hey, what's up, guys? I'm excited to bring you another blog post today. This one's going to focus on a day in the life as a professional virtual assistant. If you don't know me, my name is Breon, and I have been a professional virtual assistant for the last four years. I've worked in various industries and positions for massive Fortune 500 companies all the way down to small business owners, and I've loved every minute of it. I wanted to share what a typical day looks like for me because I approach work in a unique way.
Morning Routine
Morning Routine
To start my day, I usually wake up around 6:45 AM. I like to spend the first hour relaxing and adjusting to being awake. After that, depending on my mood, I either take a shower or eat breakfast. Even though I work for myself, I take pride in getting ready as if I have a day job. I wear slacks and a polo or a nice button-down shirt to cue my brain that it's time to work.
Once I'm ready for the day, I decide whether I want to work from home or go out. I always have my backpack ready with everything I need to work from a coffee shop, library, or park. The only things I need to grab are my laptop and keys.
Starting Work
Starting Work
Once I've settled on where to work for the day, the first thing I do when I open my laptop is check my project management tool, ClickUp. This is where I house all of my client information, track projects, and manage timelines. I like to review my existing priorities for the day before diving into emails or other distractions. This helps me stay focused on what's most important.
After reviewing ClickUp, I start jumping into client work. Most of my clients no longer do video meetings with me; we used to have a lot when we started, but now we have consistent check-ins and understand what's expected. For example, one client has three inboxes that I manage. I review them every morning, clean them up, and add tasks that require his attention to his Todoist.
Daily Tasks and Tools
Daily Tasks and Tools
Throughout the day, I handle a variety of administrative and project management tasks. These include:
Inbox Management: Cleaning up inboxes and maintaining a zero-inbox policy.
Email Management: Drafting responses and handling correspondence on behalf of clients.
Calendar Management: Scheduling appointments and ensuring no double bookings.
Project Management: Tracking project statuses and ensuring tasks are completed on time.
I use several tools daily to help with these tasks. My main tools are ClickUp and Google Calendar, which I sync together for seamless notifications. I also use messaging apps like Telegram and Slack for client communications, preferring Telegram for its simplicity.
I keep all my resources organized in Google Drive. My favorite tools include ChatGPT, Whimsical, Scribe, Loom, and Canva for various client tasks. I am a huge fan of Google products like Gmail, Calendar, Docs, and Sheets, and I manage client inboxes mostly on Gmail, making it easier to switch between accounts
Productivity and Work-Life Balance
Productivity and Work-Life Balance
Productivity is crucial when working as a virtual assistant, especially when working from home. I've found that using a project management tool like ClickUp to its full extent helps me stay organized and on top of my tasks. During client onboarding, I take time to understand their preferences and workflows, and then I set up ClickUp to reflect those processes. This ensures that I know exactly what needs to be done each day and can adjust priorities as needed.
One thing I didn't do in the beginning, but now implement, is regularly seeking feedback. I send my clients a Google Form 14 days after starting to get an understanding of their satisfaction and any adjustments needed. Depending on the client, I may also send a follow-up form after 30 or 60 days. This helps me ensure that I'm meeting their expectations and allows for continuous improvement.
Unique Work Philosophy
Unique Work Philosophy
My work philosophy is a bit different from most virtual assistants. While many become business owners to control their time and work at their own pace, I prefer to work as much as possible. I have a son and share custody 50/50, so on weeks when I have him, I work the agreed-upon hours. On weeks when I don't, I work as much as I can but only bill the agreed hours.
My typical workday looks like
My typical workday looks like
830-9 am start work
12/1pm lunch
12:15/1:15ish Back to work ( I usually on take a quick lunch)
4/430 take an hour to an hour and a half long break to connect with friends and family
6 pm start working again
7 pm dinner
715-8 relax
8-1030/11ish back to work
Total hours worked on average = 10 hours 45 minutes to 11 hours 45 minutes
(Please note this is my personal preference, I actually work to help other people not have to work this much)
Conclusion
Conclusion
That's a day in the life of a professional virtual assistant. I'd love to hear your thoughts and biggest takeaways. Feel free to ask any questions about my work ethic or the tools I use.
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