How Do You Vacation As A Virtual Assistant?

How do you vacation as a virtual assistant? It’s a seemingly straightforward question. However, the ideas of how a VA should vacation can often come with pretty strict rules based on the person dishing them out. 

The AVA knows the importance of vacationing as a virtual assistant and business owner. We also know that many VAs don’t take enough time off, vacation or not. This is in direct contrast to the number of reasons people become VAs – freedom and flexibility. However, when many decide to take a vacation the “experts” come out of the woodwork to tell you how it should be done. 

Just as every VA business is unique and created to run a business on your terms, so is the manner in which you choose to vacation. It should be on your own terms. There is no right or wrong to take a vacation. There is only right and wrong for you. 

For instance, one of the main rules given when taking a vacation is to disconnect. You’re not to check emails, check in on your clients, or even think about work. For some, this is great advice. Others struggle because their vacation is different. Plus, they never truly disconnect from the world. They are still on social media, they are still in touch with the real world, and actually like to know what’s going on. 

So how do you know how to vacation as a virtual assistant? Well, you start with planning a vacation that makes you happy for your current situation. Not all vacations are created equal or have the same purpose. You may be planning a vacation that is mostly centered around your children. The type of vacation that requires a vacation once you return. Your vacation might be more adventurous like going to climb a mountain (literally). Or maybe you’re planning a vacation where there is no internet so you can enjoy living in a bubble on the beach or in the mountains away from everything you wish to escape. It could be that your vacation is only a vacation in name and you’ll be out of the office but you’ll simply be along for the ride of someone else’s dream vacation. 

Based on what you plan, how would you like to vacation? 

It’s such a simple question, but especially as VAs, we’re typically so busy planning and planning for others we’re not really sure what we want or expect out of a vacation. That is when VAs go searching for answers only to find rules. 

There are rules that will serve you well and there are rules that are made to be broken. It’s the great part about being in charge – YOU get to decide! Once you decide, then you can jump into the positivity phase of vacationing which is actually the planning. 

Michelle Gielan of the Institute for Applied Positive Research says planning a vacation “powers positivity” says. When the IAPR surveyed about the benefits of planning a trip, the findings were astonishing. 

• 97% of survey respondents report that having a trip planned makes them happier;
• 82% say a booked trip makes them “moderately” or “significantly” happier; 
• 71% reported feeling greater levels of energy knowing they had a trip planned in the next six months.

According to Dr. Christine Carter, “Studies show that positive anticipation can bring us as much or more pleasure than the actual event itself.” 

How you choose to vacation as a virtual assistant is completely up to you. Never let anyone try to shame you for not taking a vacation as they do. You’re not them! Your needs are yours to be met and who better than you to meet them? 

Next week, we’ll be sharing tips on how to plan your time away from work to get the most out of it!

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