Virtual assistants, albeit working with clients from behind the computer screen, are people too. Like other human beings, they can easily commit follies and mistakes that can be detrimental to their career and overall well-being. Let\’s take a look at the seven major “sins” that VAs should take great effort to avoid:
- Lust. Lust doesn\’t have to be carnal in nature; at its most basic form, it is merely an intense desire for something. For VAs, it can be great desire for things such as money or recognition. This can lead VAs to overwork themselves, or run after lucrative contracts when doing more available, lesser paying ones can be more profitable.
- Gluttony. VAs do a lot of sitting during the day, and studies show that this can easily lead to obesity or an early death. What else can exacerbate the risk other than excessive eating? For certain, having some snacks from time to time wouldn\’t be bad. Eating like mad during work, however, is not only obnoxious, but can also lead to health risks when compounded by the rather physically inactive VA lifestyle. Rather, here are a few tips that you can follow to keep yourself healthy while working as a VA.
- Greed. It is good to have multiple sources of income, but you shouldn\’t be greedy with your contracts. You only need to have as much as your limited work day could manage, so as to keep yourself physically and mentally healthy, as well as to allow for more time to be spent for rest, recreation, or your family.
- Sloth. Nobody wants lazy hired hands. Procrastination and laziness can get you nowhere, especially in the VA industry where clients can always have better options.
- Wrath. Virtual assistance require patience, especially when it comes to dealing with clients of all sorts. Being terribly impatient with clients—your customers—and getting really mad at them come a little disagreement is going to hurt your reputation. Having a bad reputation, as we all know, will not drive business your way but will do the opposite.
- Envy. The virtual assistant world is rife with competition, and it\’s completely understandable for VAs to sometimes be jealous of each other\’s achievements. However, it is a bad thing when you envy more successful VAs. It will lead you to chase after your rival\’s achievements, rather than develop your own skills and business and grow in your own direction.
- Pride, a. k. a. hubris. Taking pride in your profession as a VA is great, and something that you ought to do even. Hubris, on the other hand, is thinking of yourself more than what you are actually worth, and it is a great trait to have if you are looking to disappoint or turn off clients. Of course, there are rare individuals who can back their hubris with skill, but the best practice always remains to be humble and let your hands do the talking.
