Startup founder, high level executive, freelancer, we really don't care how passionate you are, if your work schedule isn't well managed, you will crash and burn.

OK, we actually do care that you're passionate, we just don't want you getting burnt out before you actualize your dreams.

That's why we put together this article–to help the busy professional who's ready to get a virtual assistant (VA) and needs to know how best to work with them.

Who Is Your Virtual Assistant?

Your virtual assistant is not your PA. Let's settle that. Your VA is a highly qualified and adaptable professional who carries out specific tasks for a prearranged period of time.

Your VA is flexible enough to work with you, no matter the peculiarities of your job, and experienced enough to appreciate their limits and make provisions to cater to them.

How to Work with Your VA

HeyBeatrice is the remote virtual assistant company, so believe us when we say, we got you. We'll touch on the basics to ensure you're well prepared for a life of increased productivity with your VA.

1. Make it Clear to Your VA What They're Meant to Do

Outlining what your VAs should do for you is pivotal to creating an efficient work relationship with a VA. Once that's settled, you can sort out the hours you want the VA to work for you and choose a flexible work plan that suits the intended payment plans.

Creating job descriptions is taxing and we're sending you hugs, but it helps you to stay within a predefined framework. This way, you know the quality of work to expect and you can track the stipulated work/time frame for optimal efficiency.

2. Curate Onboarding Resources

Curating training resources is a breeze with cloud infrastructure. Why should you curate though?

Training resources enhance the performance of your VAs, boosts their productivity, and allows for uniformity in your work processes. Trainings have specific goals such as improving one's capability, capacity, productivity, and overall performance.

Curating materials isn't as hard as it sounds. Here's our mini checklist:

• Record an onboarding session and upload it to workspaces like Slack, Trello, etc.
• Screencast yourself performing tasks with voiceover instructions.
• Use project management software.
• Give your VA access to relevant company files.

3. Establish Rules of Engagement

Communication is key for any type of relationship to work. Your rules of engagement should include things like; how often you want to meet the VA for feedback, progress reports, standups, and official meetings.

Of course, good communication covers your choice of instant messaging apps. WhatsApp, Telegram, Skype?

4. Respect Boundaries

We recommend that you and your VA should establish healthy boundaries. Note when work hours end and when communication should cease as well.

When you've agreed on a schedule, respect and understand that VAs are intelligent people who must be treated with dignity.

Lastly, if a job isn't in the job description do not assign it to the VAs abruptly.

Final Thoughts

Remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint. We want you and your VA to work together for a long time. This means that you will have to invest time in training and preparing yourself and the VA to achieve long-term success.

Wishing you the best!