Productivity Tips for Virtual Assistants – De-Stressing Your Life – Part 2
On last week’s productivity post, I left you with one of my new favorite quotes, “Rest is the new hustle”. If you haven’t read it yet, I encourage you to check it out.
Productivity tips for virtual assistants is not an easy topic to write about. I know how productive VAs are! This series is less about the tactical and more about the holistic. There is no doubt in my mind that de-stressing your life will make you more productive.
If you’re anything like me you feel most at rest when you’ve had a productive day and not only got everything done you needed to but you’ve set yourself up for success on the following day, throughout the week, and maybe even the next month. Let’s face it, there is always more work to do and thank goodness! That means business is great! Yet, if you focus only on the work and not yourself that’s where stress starts to take hold.
In her latest book Listful Living, Paula Rizzo shares how we can have a de-stressed life. Full disclosure, Paula is a friend and we’ve been clients of each other. I share this not only because I fully back her incredible work, I know she is living the lifestyle she preaches. In my VA matchmaking business, I match some of the biggest names in business and what they preach, teach, and get paid for is not at all how they live. No judgment from me. It’s common for the cobbler’s kids to have no shoes. However, I’m not about to share a book written by them that they haven’t mastered for themselves.
I knew I would appreciate Paula’s new book. I didn’t know I would fall in love with it. Then it all made sense. Who better to create a listful living journal to a more de-stressed you than a journalist? Who better to teach us how to be productive with a purpose than a television producer? It just goes together like peanut butter and chocolate (or jelly).
I can hear some of you now, “I’ve been journaling for years. I know how to do it and well on my own.” I get it and I believe you. There’s also something I know to be very true. What got to where you are today won’t get to where you want to be in the future. Like an Olympic athlete, I believe in your natural abilities, talents, and work ethic which has brought you this far.
Have you ever seen a top athlete without a coach? You are a mental athlete and Listful Living is a coach of a new kind. Just like exercise that has to be changed to work new muscles, be more effective, and most importantly, not get into a boring routine changing the way you journal can breathe life into your day. Who wouldn’t want to be living listfully every day? Listful Living as the CEO of your business.
What no one told me when I started my VA business is that I was going to grow and evolve as a leader in a way like no other. Like you, I was no stranger to professional development. That is much different than growing into the CEO role of your business. What I also didn’t know is that this would create almost a duality in my productivity style. What makes me productive as a VA holds me back as a CEO.
Only other virtual assistants could not think I’m crazy for having two to-do lists and two journals. (Thanks for getting me!) I have the lists and journal for my client work when I’m wearing my VA hat. Then there is my other journal and list for when I’m the CEO & Founder of The PVA and Association of Virtual Assistants.
Have you thought about your new productivity style? Instead of waiting to discover you’re not being productive in the ways that matter use Listful Living to uncover how you’re new evolved leadership style can work for you. This is a thoughtful process. An important step is to capture the process. It’s a productivity recipe. If you created something really amazing you want to be able to reproduce it and doing this by journaling is a great way.
Stress-free living is not an accident nor should it be reserved for a few select few days and moments out of the year. Why is this so important? It’s because I know you will be successful as a VA. What I also know and have consulted with virtual assistants on throughout the years is a business that is so “successful” it implodes. The VA ultimately goes through a client cleanse and has to start over to build her business again. Building the business again is not the hard part. It’s coming back from the burnout.
Have you ever been in a car accident and the first time back in the car you were a little hesitant. Or maybe you got food poisoning after eating a certain food item and you can’t bring yourself to ever go back to eating it? This is what it feels like to start your VA business again after imploding.
Stress has a way of making us second guess everything. We doubt. We’re on edge. We feel like no one gets us and even when surrounded by a sea full of people we feel alone. Communication becomes very difficult and it makes it even more challenging to start again. Starting again is one thing. Making a comeback and being able to surpass on your last business venture stronger and better than ever is another. What’s the best way to avoid this? Don’t let yourself get there!
Listful Living’s mission is a stress-free life for you. If I could have written the book I would have. It wasn’t for me to write. However, sitting on a goldmine of information without sharing it with doesn’t make me a good leader or friend.
It’s my mission to support virtual assistants in every stage of their career. If I don’t have the answers you bet I will find the person who does. I can’t teach you how to live a stress-free life, but Paula Rizzo can.
