There are lots of ways in which working with virtual assistants makes sense, like freeing you up from mundane tasks to concentrate on your core business, or mixing and matching skills to create the ultimate team. But for all business owners, money is the bottom line. We firmly believe that VAs are a cost effective way of tapping into a wealth of experience and high quality work.
Here’s why:
(more…)This is something we’ve seen coming for a while now, but as of two weeks ago the UK officially entered a recession. Of course, this is unsettling news for all of us, and with tough times ahead most business owners are likely to be affected by the unpredictable economic climate.
So is there anything you can do to take care of your business and protect it against the worst of what’s to come? We’ve put together some useful steps you can take to prepare your business for the difficulties ahead, so you can ride out the storm and maybe even continue to grow.
(more…)This month Get Ahead VA is celebrating its 10th business birthday, and we couldn’t be prouder of reaching this amazing milestone.
Of course, the last 10 years have taught us a lot about how to run a business, and today we’d like to share with you some of the best lessons we’ve learned over the years. So we talked to our team of Regional Directors to uncover their most precious nuggets of wisdom – here are 10 things we’ve learned from 10 years in business.
(more…)No business could be a bigger fan of outsourcing than GetAheadVA. The regional directors and I practice what we preach, outsourcing our own business tasks within the team, freeing us up to connect with clients, do our own virtual assistant work and still have time to go for a run. If you’ve called us and we’re not there, you’ll have encountered our efficient phone answering service, and all those gorgeous infographics you’ve seen on LinkedIn were created by our own graphic design experts.
There are a number of excellent VAs who operate alone, but we firmly believe that VA agencies offer a more efficient, flexible service. In this blog, we look at why outsourcing to an agency makes sense for your business.
(more…)Many of us are now going back to work and the morning commute, but with a difference – lots of people are starting to commute by bike. You might be considering this if you want to avoid public transport, get some exercise, or take advantage of the government’s new plans to boost cycle travel in the UK.
Whatever your reasons, this is the perfect time to try out commuting by bike. National Cycle to Work Day is happening this week, on Thursday 6th August, so if you’ve always wanted to try it, why not make this the week you start? Here are our top tips to help you get into this great new habit.
(more…)Recent research by the meditation app HeadSpace shows that while most of us wouldn’t follow the lockdown lifestyle by choice, 85% of us have been able to take positives from it.
In this blog, we look at the positive effect lockdown has had on our ways of working, and choose some lockdown strategies we’ll be taking with us as life slowly returns to normal.
(more…)The idea of doing a digital detox – i.e. stepping away from technology to focus on real-life hobbies and in-person interactions – can seem challenging at the best of times, and especially so now, when we have even fewer opportunities for face-to-face quality time. But taking a digital detox could be even more important right now: since we’re being forced to spend so much time online, to do our work and stay in touch with our loved ones, the time we spend offline has become even more precious.
If you’re a business owner, you might be finding it particularly difficult to cut down on your screen time, as this may be the only way for you to communicate with your employees, network with others in your field, and promote your business to customers. After all, you can’t just put your phone in a box and stop checking your emails when you have a business to run! The good news is that a digital detox is still possible for you – here are some things you can do to give yourself a break from the screens, and to use them more mindfully when you need to.
(more…)Being able to ‘pivot’ is a valuable skill in business, and especially so right now, when the world is in a state of incredible uncertainty and changeability. If you’re not sure what pivoting is, there has never been a better time to learn about it, or to apply it to your own business.
Pivoting essentially means being adaptable – it means recognising that your business isn’t meeting certain expectations, and being agile enough to find a new way to do things in order to solve a problem or respond to a need. This could be a small change, a fundamental rethinking of your whole strategy, or anything in between.
Clearly the challenges of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown have made pivoting more important than ever, as businesses are having to learn to adapt to a situation that can change daily, even hourly. So if you’re keen to know more about how to master the art of the pivot, read on for our advice about nurturing adaptability in your business.
(more…)Keeping up with your continuing professional development (CPD) can be tricky at the best of times, and chances are that the stresses of lockdown have not made this easier over the past few months. But if you’re feeling up to it, you might find that doing some CPD from home could be beneficial for you and your business.
Of course, you shouldn’t put any pressure on yourself to be productive during this time. Lockdown is hugely stressful for all sorts of reasons, and there’s no need to add to your mental load unnecessarily. It’s essential that you take care of yourself first and give yourself a break if you need it!
However, if you do feel up to the challenge, you may find working on your CPD really valuable. Perhaps you don’t have as much to do right now and you’re in need of a distraction or something to give structure to your days. Or maybe you’re keen to feel that you’re still making progress with your business, even if your normal workload has changed. Whatever inspires you, here is our guide to doing CPD from home.
(more…)Lockdown has forced thousands of people to start working from home, and for many of us this has meant swapping the desk and office chair for a corner of the kitchen table or a spot on the sofa. But if you’re finding that your new working situation is taking its toll on your back, you’re not alone – a poor home office setup can cause all kinds of discomfort and back pain.
Since it looks like we’ll be in lockdown for some time to come, it’s important to start looking after your back now, to prevent bigger problems down the line. So, here are 4 key ways you can protect your back health while working from home!
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