Taking Back Time for The Holidays

As the end-of-year holidays approach, I am reminded of one of my favorite benefits of being a Virtual Assistant: time flexibility.

For more than 17 years, I worked a traditional 9-5 job (let's tell the truth, it was more like 9-7), and the craziness would begin as American Thanksgiving approached. The stress of cramming in the extra shopping, cooking, cleaning, decorating, and the upcoming guests was enough to push me over the edge.

Now that I'm in charge of my schedule, I can genuinely enjoy the holidays, the prep work (ok, most of it), and be fully present for my family and friends throughout the season.

Did the amount of prep and work change? Not really. What changed was how I was able to structure my time.

By working from home, I gained back hours that were once used to dress for work, prepare lunch, and commute. A quick calculation shows that commuting alone took up to 6.5 hours per week (if the bus was on time). And let's not even talk about the countless hours I spent washing and ironing my work clothes.

Although I'm a huge fan of focusing on one task at a time for increased productivity, working from home sometimes allows me to multitask efficiently.

For example, I can prepare a pie for baking and slide it into the oven before sitting at my desk to start work. An hour later, the timer goes off, and I can remove the pie and let it cool while I continue working. That's a very different scenario than getting home at 7:00 PM and starting to bake after a long day at my office.

Even activities like holiday shopping and gift wrapping can be woven into my day around client work and meetings. Best of all, I no longer have to negotiate with a boss months in advance (or at all) about taking time off for family events and personal downtime.

I enjoy time flexibility all year long. Being a Virtual Assistant means being free to prioritize what matters most to me, maintain balance in my life, and take charge of my day.

Happy Holidays! Here's to more seasons of flexible, fulfilling work and moments that matter most!