We have mentioned in a previous article just how one can easily run into various challenging distractions when working online. The same is true for virtual assistants. The Internet is a vast place, and it can be easy for us to find something somewhere in the World Wide Web that\’s shiny enough to grab our attention.
As virtual assistants, though, it is our duty to guard ourselves against distractions so as to be able to deliver the best possible service to our clients. It sure is hard sometimes, but avoiding or down right fighting off distractions can be done. If such distractions can kill you, then below are some tips that will definitely save your life.
- Avoid non work-related social media activities. During work, it\’s very easy to find yourself longing to access the social media and get a few updates of your social circles or things that you are interested in. It\’s also quite easy to jump from “checking things out a bit” to “Ooh, this link looks pretty cool, better check it out.” Before you know it, your little social media escapade went on for an hour, and then maybe two or more. The solution is obvious: just stay away from social media while you are at work.
- Find a location where you can work in peace and quiet. Windowless rooms or rooms with blinded windows are great places to start. These can block out various visual distractions from the outside. If noises bother you, you might want to invest on soundproofing your private workplace as well. Work in rooms that can present the least possible distractions.
- Don\’t work with the TV on. The television can be as distracting as social media, and certain ads or shows on TV can easily keep your attention. This, understandably, can lead you to become very unproductive, stopping to check out what\’s on TV as soon as something interesting has come up on the screen.
- Do not work near the bed or the couch. VA work means that you will be sitting all day until the work is done, save for those periodic stretches when you may need to stand up. The presence of the bed or a couch is thus a very strong temptation for you to recline or lie down, sometimes to the point of taking a nap.
- Understand that, at the moment, your current task is more important that anything else. Only work on that other activities after your task is done; doing things one at a time can do wonders to productivity.
