Achieve More Using A Virtual Assistant: 4 Must Do's When Working With VAs

One hour of 'smartly' invested time each week creates 10 to 15 hours of additional productivity for me.  How?  I hired a Virtual Assistant (VA) and receive some outstanding support in a few important areas of my life.  By doing this, I've been able to accomplish more while freeing up time for other things.

Virtual Assistants Can Help You Work While You Travel.
Photo: Finland 2010

I found my Virtual Assistant on guru.com a few years ago and have been very happy with the service that I’ve received.  When I posted the ad on Guru I had about 75 response from all around the world and the quotes ranged from $4.00/hr to $80.00/hr.  

Although some Virtual Assistant arrangements don't work out,  my experience has been simply great.   Yes, I was fortunate enough to find the right virtual assistant from India, but I think a lot of the success that we’ve had together has been related to 'how we agreed to work with each other' right from day one.  I wanted to share some of the ‘real life experience’ that I’ve had over the last two years as it may help you get off to a much better start with your Virtual Assistant:

Getting It Right: 4 Must Do's When Working With VAs


1. Paint The "Big Picture". Setup a ‘meet and greet’ through Skype with your preferred candidate and make sure that your potential VA understands your lifestyle and your specific business endeavor.   The goal of the meeting is for your VA to see how their role is connected to your success.  This shared understanding of the ‘big picture’  is an important factor is establishing a productive relationship with your VA.  Most online advice speaks to the importance of clearly communicating specific tasks to your virtual assistant which is important, but I think by not investing time in developing your VA’s understanding of the ‘big picture’ makes the relationship very transactional and results in lower quality work.


2. Clarify the VA’s role and yours. I find that most employers define the working relationship with their VAs, but I like to approach it slightly differently.  I first ask my virtual assistant what terms, conditions, and processes have worked for them with other clients and I try to leverage this experience.  I also clarify my opinion of my role by writing it down for them and asking for feedback.  Lastly, we work on defining their role.  I find this approach deepens the relationship.


3. Establish one shared collaboration environment.  I routinely use Google Apps, which is by far the best collaboration tool on the market in my opinion.  It includes email, calendars, word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation applications as well as a whole lot more.  This shared environment reduces the unnecessary back and forth that traditional email generates.  


4. Develop a clear “Activity" list.  I have set up my VA contract as a ‘on demand service’ which means that some months I required their service and other months I don’t.  To manage the activity list I created a spreadsheet in Google Apps that captures details such as:

1. Start Date
2. Requested Due Date
3. Estimated Effort (hours)
4. Agreement on forecasted effort (hours)
5. Task Description
6. Status
7. Actual Effort
8. Notes

For a free copy of the spreadsheet that I use please send me an email and I’d be more than happy to share it with you.

The type of tasks that I have my VA help me with vary considerable, but are usually related to activities to support some hobby businesses that my wife and I have:

• Research on various topics
• Gather data (primary or secondary)
• Manage marketing campaigns 
• Creating initial drafts of some short articles

The time that I save by getting help from my VA saves me 10 to 15 hours of work each week.  This is time that I spend developing other areas of my business, spending time with family and friends, as well as freeing up some time to maintain my workout program.  Virtual assistants, can help you recover the most scarce resource of all TIME.  


If you don’t have a VA yet ... I challenge you to find one and try it out for a month or two.  You'll be surprised what you can accomplish with the right support.

Chris

Lifestyle Design: What the heck?

I'm in pursuit of the 'digital lifestyle' and it's all about living well, working smartly, seeking adventure, and finding abundance.  The concept of the 'digital lifestyle is based on the principles of 'lifestyle design' which is a school of thought that believes that people can design and actually live their ideal lifestyle.  Sound cheesy?  My wife thought so when she proof read this post for me , but read on. She did and we chatted about the digital lifestyle for 20 minutes afterwards.  It's a concept that gets you thinking.

Although lifestyle design is not a new concept it was brought to the forefront by Tim Ferris in 2007 with his book called "The 4-Hour Workweek". Tim's book has become the recipe for escaping the traditional 9-5 grind, and helps people live anywhere and join what he calls the 'newly rich'.  Like any successful author and/or entrepreneur his points of view are different and you either love'm or hate'm.  I have to admit I've read Ferris' book twice and refer back to it quite regularly so I guess I'm part of the 'love'm club' and I encourage you to get a copy of his book if you even have the slightest interest in lifestyle design or online businesses.

Although the 4-Hour Workweek is literally packed with ideas, tips, and tricks for creating freedom in your life while at the same time increasing your networth there is one message in particular that resonates with me that I'd like to share with you as it is central to the concept of the 'digital lifestyle':

"Money is multiplied in value depending on the number of W's that you control in your life: WHAT you do, WHEN you do it, WHERE you do it, and with WHOM you do it.  I call this the 'freedom multiplier" (Ferris, T. 4-Hour Workweek. 2007. p.24).

Out of the all the books that I've read on lifestyle design, out of all the hours that I've sunk into designing my lifestyle this statement is most meaningful to me.  I consider it a 'trigger statement' meaning it's one of those things that you read and makes you do three things: (1) makes you go hmmmmm (2) changes your perspective and  (3) gets you to make a decision and take action in a new direction.  

So why settle for a traditional 9-5 job and defer your 'wants' and freedom until you retire?  Why not join a growing number of people who are breaking free from the masses and choosing to live the life they want now and not waiting until much later  to 'taste the good life'? They are are embracing an unconventional paradigm that allows them to define the equivalent of their 'million dollar lifestyle and build an online business that can be managed virtually a few hours per week but opens up revenue streams that can support their desired lifestyle.  By working smartly and leveraging technology you can now work anywhere, work less, and achieve the lifestyle that you want regardless of how big or small your wish list is. What does it take? 

1. An open mind 

2. A definition of your ideal lifestyle including estimates on what it costs to live out your dreams

3. An online businesses that you enjoy that can be managed virtually 

4. A list of methods for reducing redundant tasks in your life and developing a mechanism for automating many aspects of your life and business so that you can free up time to do the 'important things in life"

5. Think of a present (like a trip) that you'll treat yourself to once you meet your first milestone in your new lifestyle

The 4-Hour Workweek is a great resource to help you get on your way.  My blog will also help you with these items and more.  I'll recommend many other blogs and resources that will help you design your lifestyle and build your online business to support it.  

Ready?

Chris

Living Well and "Recapturing Your Wild Side"

Ahhh boy .... did I ever connect with an article in a recent edition of Men's Health Magazine.  Check this out:

"Nature heals, restores, and invigorates.  It makes your body stronger and your mind quicker". (Men's Health July/Aug 2010)

The article, entitled Recapture Your Wild Side,  was brilliant as it provides a compelling argument  -based on scientific research- that proves that getting out of the concrete jungle and closer to nature adds to the quality of your life.  As many of you already know, the idea of getting closer to nature can be possible by embracing the digital lifestyle and leveraging technology to work remotely from any corner of the world.  Keep this in mind as you read the short extract below.


The article unfolds by asking the reader to close their eyes and visualize the perfect place to live.  


Extract:

"It's possible (you can open your eyes now) that you're picturing an urban apartment ringed by traffic-filled streets. More likely is a home set on high ground, in a field of grass, shaded by trees, overlooking a stream, lake, or sea.   

The renowned Harvard biologist Edward O. Wilson wrote, "It seems that whenever people are given a free choice, they move to open, tree-studded land on prominences overlooking water." His theory of "biophilia" (an attraction to living systems) suggests that humans have evolved an affinity for the natural settings that nurtured their hominid ancestors. 

And yet the 21st-century [American] man spends an estimated 90 percent of his time sealed off from nature--in an office, at a desk, in his house, behind the wheel, on the couch watching TV, or in bed sleeping in air that's often artificially cooled and dehumidified. The ultimate cost of this separation from his natural state is impossible to calculate. But in recent years, scientists have measured enough specific benefits of exposure to the outdoors--less anger, more productivity, quicker thinking, faster healing, longer lives--that the lesson seems obvious. (Source: Men's Health July/Aug 2010)

This article coincidentally supports a decision that my wife and I made last year when we purchased an acre of land off the coast of southern Belize.  The land we purchased is in a new eco-friendly community that is being built called Sanctuary Belize.  

Over the next few years, as the community develops, we'll be starting to build a home on our land so that we can spend a portion of the year living by the Caribbean sea and thriving on the adventure that the rainforest, ocean, and mountains of Belize provide.  One of the cool things that helped us confirm our decision to invest in Sanctuary Belize was that I was able to connect to the Internet from the rainforest and Skype with my wife and daughter back in Canada. So this means that eventually we can live our digital lifestyle by working smartly and remotely from Belize, living well by being close to nature, all while seeking adventure.  For us this was an important piece in architecting our digital lifestyle.  Reading "Recapturing Your Wild Side" helps reinforce the importance of architecting your lifestyle so that you can gather all the experiences that you want in life.  

Live it everyone!!!!

Chris

I Gained Control Of My Inbox & Freed Up 2 Hours Each Week

Hey everyone!  

I'm always on the prowl for tips that can free up hours from my work week so that I can either focus on higher value work activities or better yet ....get me get out of the office sooner so that I can enjoy other aspects of my life. This type of focus is central to designing a lifestyle that allows you to squeeze more experiences out of life!!!!  To achieve this you need to look for opportunities to reduce your hours spent on 'lower value' activities and shift these 'new found' hours to tasks that are more aligned to your desired lifestyle.  When I looked at my work week a few years back after reading Tim Ferris' Four Hour Work Week, I realized that my email was simply OUT OF CONTROL and because I wasn't managing it properly I was spending way to much time on it.  I started exploring different email management tricks and after exploring a few options I finally discovered a simple and effective email management approach that freed up about 2-3 hours per week for me.  I wanted to share my experience with you.

Background

I manage four email accounts (I can't get away from that for a number of reasons) and I receive between 85 and 135 emails on any given day.  I don't say this to impress people because contrary to popular belief I don't believe that email volume correlates with your importance, position, power, or salary.  I share this statistic with you to simply provide some context around how significant my email challenge was.  You may receive more email or you may receive less email, but chances are you feel the same way I felt ---I  was BURIED IN EMAIL and no matter how hard I tried I always seemed to BE BEHIND and had a CLUTTERED Inbox.  The clutter was getting to me so much that I was dedicating more and more time to managing my email and less time doing more important things.  I needed a solution and giving up email altogether in this day and age wasn't an option; rather I needed help ... help in a FAST way.  That's when I discovered Gina Trapani's article on Lifehacker.com called Empty Your Inbox With The Trusted Trio. The simple 'action oriented' folder structure called the "Trusted Trio" worked wonders for me.

The Folders

The three folders  referenced in the Trusted Trio article are:

1. "For_Follow-up": Action is required by me.
2. "For_Archiving": Useful (or useless) email that is for information purposes that I do not need to take action on
3. "On Hold": Action is required by another person before I can take action myself

Putting the Trusted Trio to action was quite easy.


My 5 Step Approach For Implementing The Trusted Trio:


1. Each day I check my email at defined periods of time so that I can give it the attention it deserves and NO MORE.  


2. After a quick scan of my email I respond to urgent items that I can resolve quickly and I divide my remaining email into one of three folders, as outlined in the Trusted Trio. 

• For_Follow-up
• For_Archiving 
• On Hold

3. During the last 30 to 45 minutes of my workday (often on the bus) I respond to any emails that I placed in my "For_Follow-up" folder.  As I respond to these emails I transfer them to  my "For_Archiving" folder since I've completed the action item.


4. Each morning I review my "On Hold" folder and write short emails to people who I'm awaiting input from in order to take any action that is required by me.  I really hate having action items looming over me so I tend to manage this folder pretty closely.


5. At the end of each week I skim my "For_Archiving" folder and review the contents by quickly scanning the email again.  If I notice that I'm on a mailing list and rarely read the content I 'unsubscribe' from the distribution list.  After that I simple transfer all of my email in this folder to my official "Archives" area in my inbox.


So in five short steps, using three Inbox folders, I have conquered the chaos that use to characterize my inbox and eroded a large part of my day.   Gina's Trusted Trio email management approach helped me considerably and if you are struggling with an overflowing Inbox I'd suggest using the Trusted Trio and and tweaking it to suite your own lifestyle.

Enjoy the extra hours that you'll discover in your week if you manage your Inbox instead of it managing you!


Chris

Oh Sweet Internet.. Thanks For Paving The Path To A New Freedom

Within twelve minutes of jumping on the #27 bus in Ottawa for a few meetings downtown I had fired up my iPhone and cracked open one of my playlists that contained musical vibes like Ben Harper (Steal My Kisses)  and JayZ (Empire State Of Mind) and began connecting with colleagues in 4 countries (India, Finland, Canada, and the US).  Yes ... in 12 short minutes my virtual world was open for another day of business.



It was at that moment I started thinking about the power of the Internet and it's real contribution to people's lives.  The internet has made numerous improvements to people's lives but two of the most interesting enhancements -at least to me- are:

• The creation of new degrees of freedoms, and;
• The possibility of generating new sources of income

FREEDOM - Freedom is defined by Dictionary.com as "the power to determine action without restraint"and this definition fires me up!!!! Imagine a world where you can work from any location in the world and still add value in the markets that you choose to participate in.  Today your physical location does not necessary limit your earnings to just your local market area.  You can work anywhere thanks to the Internet.  If you were working for a company in Canada or perhaps working for yourself from any location in the world where would it be?  From a boat off the coast of Belize while headed to the Blue Hole?  From a cafe in France?  From the tranquility of a cottage in Northern Europe?  From within the hustle and bussle of NYC or Chicago?  The Internet provides this freedom but many of us don't take full advantage of this opportunity.  Of course ... some people argue that their boss or the corporate culture prevents them from sinking their teeth into this freedom ... but have they really tried?  Wouldn't it be great if you could kick-ass at your job while simultaneously exploring the marvels of our planet?  Or even better ... what if you were your own boss!  I believe you can achieve this!


INCOME - Don't let anyone convince you otherwise ... money is an enabler.  Although there are exceptions to every rule, the majority of people agree that with more money in your pocket you can experience more; and isn't life all about experiences?.  If you subscribe to this principle, then you deserve to start harnessing the power of the Internet and earning at least a few bucks.  In 2009 just the online advertising industry alone was worth $55.2B and some top earning bloggers like Michael Arrington , John Chow, and Paul Bourque made $400K, $35K, and $4.5K per month respectively.  Granted there are more bloggers who don't earn a cent than those that do -- but who's to say that you can't be part of the camp of achievers who do actual earn money online?.  Imagine if you earned as little as an extra $1,000 per month ($12K/year) -- what new experiences could you create for yourself?  What if we double or tripled this amount ... what would you do?


So this is my chance to thank the Internet for creating these opportunities for both you and I!  And now ... the hard part ....  a question for YOU --- Are you taking full advantage of the Internet?  Could you create new freedoms for yourself and work from any corner of the world while earning money online?  Although I've been fortunate and have earned some money online over the years, I've committed myself to focusing on developing a sustainable digital lifestyle that lets me earn money and work from any location in the world that I choose.  If this is an endeavor that you're interested in as well ... please come along for the ride.  I'll be keeping my readers updated on the best tips and tricks for creating your own digital lifestyle and providing you with updates on my progress.  


So what would your digital lifestyle look like?  Feel free to share your thoughts as a comment or if you know of a friend who shares this goal please feel free to share my blog with them.


Now ... go ahead and grab a hold of your digital endeavor!


Chris