Running Your Virtual Assistant Business While Traveling – Pt. 2
Last week I shared my best five tips for running your virtual assistant business while traveling – internationally. But what do you after you arrive? How can you enjoy all that another country has to offer, manage your clients, and make sure nothing falls through the cracks. The short answer is plan. The fun part is getting creative with your plans!
1. Getting creative with your routine.
here’s my first tip for running your virtual assistant business — creative routine. My creative routine exists of exploring the city, going for a run, and enjoying myself the first half of the day while all my clients are still sleeping. I’ll take a nap (or siesta depending on the country!) in the afternoon and wake up refreshed to do my work and take calls before ending my day at 9 or 10 pm local time. After that the city is just coming alive and I head out for dinner. Or some nights cook dinner and enjoy a nice view from a balcony or rooftop.
In countries that have a great transit system I love to take the train and work with complimentary wifi. It’s almost magical and sometimes comes with an amazing “office” view!
2. Making new connections.
Staying connected, to both your clients and the internet, is a must. However, making new connections is a gift. Check out a new workspace, join travel groups, find out if anyone is going to be where you are. I especially enjoy workations and communal living trips. For me, the best way to stay connected to a city or country long after I’ve left, is to know I have friends there now.
3. Know when communication is not possible or not the best time for you.
On travel arrival and departure days I block off my calendar completely and let everyone know when and how to get a hold of me in case of emergency. I also have an assistant that can support them while I’m in flight. You also don’t want to take calls when it’s not a good time for you because the service you give your clients could suffer. Nothing is worse than having a client need come up while you’re lost, stuck in traffic, or trying to figure out the wifi in your Airbnb.
Plus, I’ve found that most clients love to hear and experience your travels with you as long as they never feel the work is suffering. I’ve even had clients wish to change their regularly scheduled meeting until after a tour, hike, or experience I had so we could discuss it on the call!
4. Have an emergency self-care plan in place.
It’s much easier to practice self-care when you’re traveling. Everything can be exciting! Plus, if you are visiting a country where your dollar gives you more, indulging in self-care can seem like a no-brainer investment. There’s another side to self-care and that’s planning for an illness emergency.
I’m not suggesting anything that is going to take you to the hospital, but trying new street foods can leave you feeling not so great. A great tip is to make sure you have an emergency kit of medicine on you. Trust me when I tell you that it doesn’t matter if there is a pharmacy on the corner. If you’re sick it can seem miles away. Also, buy a non-perishable meal that you can quickly prepare in case you need to get something in your stomach. Don’t rely on delivery.
5. Don’t forget to share!
Take lots of photos and don’t be afraid of posting and sharing. You’ll find that many people want to do what you are doing and until they can they want to live vicariously through you! It’s not only great for you, but it speaks to your business brand, and even the VA industry as a whole. We can embrace remote work and travel as good as any other industry!
Want to know more about traveling and share your best tips? Join the AVA now and become a part of the private Slack community!
