The Productivity Value of Templates

As a Virtual Assistant, I have many repetitive projects – things that happen over and over again for a given set of clients: formatting a client’s email newsletter; adding it to the blog section of their website; posting it to LinkedIn.

When I first started out as a VA, it was simple and I could remember all the steps. But over time, as my client list has grown and many of them began having unique requests, it became difficult to keep track of what was required.

If you’ve never heard of a “template” before, it’s simply a pre-created task list – a checklist – that you can save and use over and over. I use these within my Teamwork project management software, but the concept is one you can apply regardless of platform.

Templates are quite handy and I have dozens of them. Each time the project rolls around again, I simply open the appropriate template and get started.

Here’s an example of a template checklist for my client Michelle’s newsletter:

Here are some key points to remember when using templates:

1. Be thorough. When you’re creating your template keep asking yourself “and then what happens” so that you don’t forget any steps in the project. If you find a missing step while working with your template, be sure to make an update to the “master template” for future use.
   
   
2. Think small. It’s important to break the task down into small bite-size pieces that can be checked off one at a time. That way if you have to stop in the middle of your work or are waiting for the client, it’s easy to see where the project stands.
   
   
3. Assign due dates. I do this right after opening the template by starting with the date the final project is due and working backwards to pace my work.
   
   

One of the key benefits to using templates is that you end up with a uniform work product every time, without skipping steps or having to ask your client to repeat things. They make my work easier and clients happier!

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