Tips on How to Manage Stress as a VA (Common VA stress and stressors and how to handle them)

There’s no such thing as a stress-free life. Whatever career path you choose, there will always be some amount of stress. Stress isn’t always a bad thing though! In fact, it allows you to grow as a person. It lets you push the limits of what you first thought wasn’t possible. It affords you another opportunity to grow. In short, it makes you stronger as you learn to manage stress.

Being a VA has its challenges, and there will be times when you will surely feel overwhelmed. You will be filled with a lot of questions such as “who do I turn to,” “do I have a go-to person in dealing with things as a rookie VA,” or “do I even understand what’s going on?”   

This is where we come in. We will give you some helpful virtual assistant tips so you’ll know how to manage upsets and challenges, or collectively, the stress and the stressors. Below is a list of the usual stressors and how to remedy them.

Stressor #1: You do not understand your client’s instructions.

Most of the time, a VA is afraid to ask for clarifications. When you don’t have the audacity to ask, miscommunication happens. Before you know it, the specific task is done the wrong way and the client is disappointed. In turn, the VA will feel discouraged.

Solution: The solution to this is simple, but it will take guts. One of the most essential virtual assistant tips we can give you is, “DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK.”

Swallow your pride and be humble enough to admit that you need help understanding the task that was given. You cannot always play the smart card and say, “I can always search for the answer on Youtube or Google.”

Remember, not everything is entirely the same. People have preferences on how things are done, and your client is no exemption. Let go of your fear of criticism. Your client will appreciate the gesture and feel that you are willing to learn. Humility is the key.

Stressor #2: You have a new task and you do not know how to do it.

This is very similar to stressor #1. There will be scenarios wherein a client might ask you to do something that you are not familiar with. Sometimes, this also means using applications that you’ve only heard about for the first time!

Solution: Again, the solution here is simple — be honest. Admit the fact that you are not equipped with the know-how. Tell your client that you will do some research to familiarize yourself with the new task. Chances are, your client might give you the corresponding tutorials and literature so that you can have a better grasp of the task. If you are willing to learn and you put your mind to it, there’s no limit to what you can do. The best tip we can give you is to always be on the lookout for free webinars and tutorials that will upgrade your skills. They are a great investment that will help you become a better VA.

Stressor #3: You are always running out of time.

Do you always find yourself cramming just to meet your deadlines? Do you feel like you don’t have enough time for each task that is given to you? Do you often feel overwhelmed? If you answered yes to all those questions, then you might have a problem with time management.

Solution: When your work week starts, make a list of tasks and put them in order of importance. Label them if you must. Place the tasks that need to be prioritized as soon as possible on your “urgent list,” and make a deadline for each.

When you are working, make sure that you are completely focused. Ignore everything that will cause any delay such as the television, your social media accounts and your phone. Make sure that when it is time for work, you just focus on the work. By keeping disciplined, you will be able to finish your work quickly and meet your deadlines.

Stressor #4: You do not get along with a member of your team.

There’s always that one person that no matter how hard you try, you just simply can’t get along with.

Solution: Remain professional. You don’t need to be chummy with your work mates, but you still need to talk to them specially if you have to work as a team. Always be polite and remain professional even when things are heating up. Remember, your correspondence with this co-worker can be captured via screenshots. So if you are tempted to say vile things, take a few breaths to calm yourself and remember to stay classy.

Stressor #5:Your client is unhappy with the work you produce.

It’s completely normal to feel disheartened when you receive negative feedback, especially if you have worked so hard to complete the task.

Solution: Ask for constructive feedback so that you can understand why your client is unhappy. If you still have trouble understanding, ask for a Skype meeting with your client. Open communication is the key to finding a viable solution. While at it, take the opportunity to seek for pointers and guidance for improvement. Your client will surely appreciate the concern and the initiative.

There you have it. We hope these virtual assistant tips can give you some insight on how to manage common stressors. Keep in mind that you will be constantly faced with difficulties. It’s just a matter of remaining positive and tenacious so that you can learn from these challenges and be better equipped with whatever life throws at you. Keep grinding!

If you’re always running out of time, we have just the solution for you. Learn more about Time Management: The key to getting things done.