Due to the pandemic, companies had to cope with a workforce comprised of individuals doing remote work in the Philippines or elsewhere. The demand for Filipino virtual assistants has remained strong since 2020. According to Buffer’s State of Remote Work, over 70% of companies are permanently allowing some amount of online work.
The same report reveals that 11% of virtual assistants in the Philippines and other countries are struggling with staying motivated. Another 9% say they have a hard time focusing at home while 8% experience difficulties with communication and collaboration. These paint a picture of VAs fighting to produce results.
The struggle with staying productive
Productivity is crucial for success as a VA from the Philippines, but it’s challenging to stay on task. There are plenty of distractions that keep you from delivering output. Understanding why you’re having trouble with staying productive is a wise move to finding a solution.
Lacking direction
The reason you’re stalling may be that you lack direction. You might know what your objective is but you have no idea how to get there. This tends to happen when a task is overwhelming, your schedule is packed, or your brain is full of too many other things.
Starting late
Sometimes, it’s true that there aren’t enough hours in a day to accomplish what you need to. There are times when your to-do list is longer than what 24 hours may hold. You won’t feel like tackling so many things when you start late into the morning or afternoon.
Distracting technology
Technological advancements are both a blessing and a curse as they take you either closer or further from your dreams. A virtual assistant PH may be distracted by constant notifications, social media, and much more. Such easy access to the internet means getting waylaid by videos, memes, and so on.
Overwhelming work
Personal assistants in the Philippines often struggle to stay productive because they’re bored with their jobs filled with repetitive tasks. The same thing is true with responsibilities that are overly complicated to do. It’s common for people to procrastinate when they’re facing these kinds of tasks.
The value of staying productive
Even if you already know what’s stopping you from being productive, you might still wonder why it’s important to you as an employee or professional. Why must you make the extra effort to achieve personal productivity as a full-time or freelance virtual assistant in the Philippines?
More relaxation
Spending prolonged hours at work affects your mental health, but it happens when you’re not motivated to work. Finishing your tasks at a faster and more efficient rate means more time to spend with loved ones or on your hobbies. Additionally, it allows you to refresh your creativity and perspective.
Less mistakes
While it’s unrealistic to get everything right the first time, productivity means organising your tasks and time better without overlooking important details. There’s a high chance you won’t have to redo any tasks so you may proceed with the next thing on your to-do list.
Better reputation
The people surrounding you view you through the filter of your behaviours. When they see you accomplishing tasks efficiently, they start to see you as someone reliable. They will not question if you’re able to finish a task by the deadline despite schedule changes or delays.
Greater achievements
By being productive, you stay on track by organising all of your tasks in your calendar. You dedicate a time slot for each job to avoid mixing them up and juggling them with other stuff. You also prevent yourself from being overwhelmed despite the offshoring from the Philippines.
Reduced stress
A high level of stress leads to a low level of energy and motivation since your brain is busy worrying about things. Stress affects your body mentally and physically so you’re more prone to getting sick too. Being productive helps you meet all the deadlines thereby lessening the pressure.
More opportunities
By starting your day early, you have more chances available to you. You’re able to tackle on more tasks which proves your value to your employer. They may recommend you for other projects or clients who want to find a virtual assistant in the Philippines.
Easier workflow
There’s a common misconception that organising your schedule and arranging your workspace takes extra effort and time. The truth is that these make your life easier since you won’t waste time figuring out your to-do list every day. Neither will you be distracted by all the irrelevant stuff on your desk.
The way to personal productivity
Being productive comes with numerous benefits, including being able to compete with other candidates for employers who are outsourcing to the Philippines. Productivity enables you to take on new opportunities while keeping burnout away. So, here are the most effective ways to boost it.
Propose your best times
Since you provide virtual assistant services in the Philippines, you’ll notice that meetings are inevitable. You might not be able to avoid them but you may suggest a schedule that works for you. If you’re the best version of yourself in the late afternoon, offer these times.
Categorise your responsibilities
Being a Filipino outsource, you won’t have people to supervise your work closely. Help yourself stay organised by batching your tasks according to context or skills required. For instance, group together administrative tasks like managing emails and replying to chat messages.
Follow the two-hour rule
This is a time-blocking principle where you divide your work day by two-hour chunks. Ideally, you must put your most high-value analytical work in the first block followed by consultative work in the second one. The third block is good for repetitive tasks while the last one is for preparing for the following day.
The work of Filipino virtual assistant companies
As a virtual assistant PH, you know how time-consuming it is to find openings for remote staffing in the Philippines. Although there are many organisations looking for offshore staffing solutions, there are just as plenty of candidates ready to provide staff leasing services.
One way to save time is by working with outsourcing companies in the Philippines to connect you with reputable employers. Then again, deciding between different virtual assistant companies from the Philippines is a lot of work on its own. Plus, they may endorse you as a super cheap virtual assistant in the Philippines.
To ensure you get a reasonably good salary with a client who’s willing to negotiate, work with us at Remote Workmate. We are a virtual assistant agency in the Philippines that understands what a virtual assistant Philippines will cost a business so you’re not sold short.
See our listings for opportunities in your field.