A typical workday in the life of a virtual assistant

Hi! I’m Alexa. And, I’m here today to share with you my typical workday as a virtual assistant. I am the Virtual Gurus’ Social Media Manager and the writer behind all of the blog posts you’ve been reading lately. I’m excited to share with you a little taste of what goes on in my daily work life here at the Virtual Gurus!

As a virtual assistant, I wear so many hats each and every day. I am so fortunate to learn and develop my skills across multiple clients, industries, and platforms, which is an opportunity I never had before. In my previous in-office roles, my days would be mundane and repetitive – I would do the same tasks every day, take the same lunch break every day, and see the same people every day. I would spend most of my days on autopilot mode completing tasks that didn’t challenge me and help me to grow as an individual.

Now, as a virtual assistant, no two days are ever the same, which is part of the reason why I love my job so much and what keeps me motivated throughout my work week. This is the typical day for my life as a virtual assistant.

5:00 AM

5:00 AM?! Don’t spit out your coffee just yet! I’m an early riser by choice. I love waking up early to ease into my day with my morning coffee and tending to any email requests that came in overnight. Waking up early also allows me the flexibility to shuffle around my day as needed. I work full-time across 4 busy clients, which means that I will often have last-minute or urgent requests popping up throughout the day. So, if I need to get something done right away, I have the time in my schedule to do this. Having more hours in the day allows me to run errands when I need to, go to appointments, and get to the yoga studio every day for my sanity (focusing on your personal health is critical as a remote worker).  

8:00 AM

Mornings are when I’m most creative and imaginative. Usually while I’m eating breakfast, I’m checking in on my clients’ social media accounts, researching trending topics, brainstorming new ideas for content for social media and blog posts, and dreaming up new creative strategies for my clients.

9:00 AM

As I know that I am my most productive self first thing in the morning, this is when I start to tackle all of my big writing projects. As a social media assistant, I’m writing all day long. I know it’s physically and mentally impossible for me to produce my best writing pieces at the end of day, especially for longer pieces – so, I try to get these done first thing.

Typically, I can be found:

• Writing blog posts (which I’m doing right now!)
• Arranging social media calendars and writing copy for posts
• Editing press releases and client articles
• Creating copy for websites, social media profiles, email newsletters, and landing pages

11:30 AM

Most of my clients operate in a timezone a few hours behind mine. This is perfect for me and my schedule as I like to have the bulk of the work done for them by the time they wake up. Right before lunch, I check in with my clients, provide any updates on projects, and send any requests for action items I need from them.

12:00 PM

By my lunch break, I’m usually in desperate need of a break. This is when I completely disconnect myself from work (including my own personal social media accounts), eat a fuel-filled meal, and give myself some time to reboot for the afternoon ahead.

12:30 PM

The life of a virtual assistant is unpredictable and each day is completely different. Some days I might be racing back to my desk after lunch to work on a pressing deadline, others I might have time to go run some personal errands, get my groceries done, do laundry, and sneak out for a much-needed yoga class. I find that getting out of the house for an hour helps me to feel re-energized and gives me more mental clarity for my afternoon tasks. Brain breaks are important!

2:00 PM

Through lots of trial and error over the years, I have figured out which tasks are better reserved for the morning and those best completed in the afternoon. I know that I write better in the morning and that I’m better at tackling graphic design projects in the afternoon. Figuring this great mystery out has helped me to allocate my time more efficiently and be more productive throughout my day.

I usually spend my afternoons:

• Editing videos for social media, YoutTube, and blogs
• Creating graphics for social media posts
• Designing the creative elements for websites, landing pages, and Pinterest channels
• Working on branding and logo design

4:30 PM

By the end of the day, I write a task list of all the things I need to get done tomorrow in order of priority. This is particularly important come Friday, when I need to wrap my head around what big projects I have on the go for the week ahead. I do my last check-in with clients and provide an update of what I’ve accomplished for them on that day, and do my last follow-up on any outstanding action items.

5:00 PM

The work day is done and so am I. I have been making more of a conscious effort to disconnect from my phone and work on personal development activities that fuel my spirit and passions in life. Maintaining that work-life balance is instrumental in my mental health (especially during COVID-19), well-being, and to keep me more engaged in all aspects of my life.

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