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If you have been searching for a way to make a living while staying at home with your kids, why not try becoming a work at home mom by running your own virtual assistant business? Virtual assistance can be an amazing choice for moms like you who want to be available to their children while still being able to contribute financially.
Because virtual assistant jobs are almost always very mobile and flexible, they are absolutely perfect if you want to transition into being a work at home mom.
Today we’re going to talk about the 6 steps that will help you better ease into the transition, because working from home can sometimes be a blessing and a curse.
6 STEPS TO BECOMING A WORK AT HOME MOM & VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
PARTNER’S SUPPORT
Making sure that you and your partner are on the same page before jumping into a new business venture is a crucial part of the process. As a virtual assitant mentor, I’ve heard some sad stories about women whose husbands don’t approve of their online careers and aren’t very supportive of them.
Before you go any further with your work at home ambitions, make sure your partner is on board. I remember that when I was first getting started, my husband actually thought it was a pyramid scheme!
Take some time to educate them about what being a virtual assistant is all about, and what kind of work you’ll actually be doing.
TIME MANAGEMENT
One of the most overwhelming parts of becoming a work at home mom is figuring out how to manage your time. With so many things that need to get done, where does everything fit in?
Especially if you have kids of different ages, and they each have extracurricular activities, and your partner has their own job, plus there’s all that cooking and cleaning….things are going to be a mess for a while!
Starting your career as a virtual assistant does require a lot of effort. Think of it like a real part-time (or even full-time) job. You’ll have to make time in your schedule to do things like build a website, learn new skills, network with people, and do all of your client work.
Before you get too stressed out, let’s sit down and work on your time management.
Make a list of all the things that need to get done in your household. Like, all of them. Include stuff for the kids, house, and your new virtual assistant stuff.
Break this list down by year, quarter, month, week, and day.
Next, you want to go through and highlight all of the absolutely most important tasks. Stuff that you have to do no matter what.
Now, go through and see if there’s anything that can be eliminated. Stuff that maybe you just won’t have time for anymore.
SCHEDULE
You probably already have your kids on a schedule, so use those times when they are sleeping to move your business forward. There are four key times that you should be able to get a few hours of uninterrupted work done.
Waking up before the rest of your family is an option to get some work in. If you can get up and dressed then sit down with a cup of coffee and your computer, you should be able to knock some of your to-do list out right at the beginning of the day.
Naptime is gold for a work at home mom. Depending on your kid’s ages you have anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours while they rest, but even if your kids are too old to nap you can implement a “quiet time” where they need to be reading books or playing by themselves.
Bedtime is something else you can utilize as work time for your virtual assistant business. Depending on when your kids go to bed this may be the biggest chunk you have for completing projects.
UNINTERRUPTED WORK
Sometimes working only when the kids are in bed is just not an option. But you are an intelligent and efficient woman, and you can figure out a way to occupy the children and get stuff done at the same time. You will feel like Wonder Woman if you can put these tips into practice as a work at home mom:
Babywearing/Breastfeeding while working
If you are in the squishy baby stage, a baby carrier or a wrap is your BEST FRIEND for working from home. Tuck that baby in close and get to work. If they are fussy and need to be moving, try putting your computer at a standing desk or on a countertop so you can sway while you type. If you are a breastfeeding mom you can arrange your baby in the carrier to allow them to nurse as well. That’s like.. triple duty SuperMom right there.
Free play zone
Create a play area that is completely child-proofed so that your kids can play without needing your eye on them constantly. Fill that area with age-appropriate toys and lots of baby-proofing so that they can free play while you work. It might be a good idea to invest in a laptop for your VA work, which will allow you to work in whatever room your kids are playing (or take your work with you to a coffee shop while hubby wrangles the herd at home).
Schedule calls during nap time
If your kids go down for nap or bed at the same time every day, schedule all of your client calls for that time. This will help you appear more professional as a virtual assistant if you can talk to your clients without kid noise in the background. It will also help you feel more like these are your “office hours” or the time designated for work. Being a work at home mom is all about figuring out how and when to get it done.
JUGGLING ACT
Working from home is a big deal, and so much harder than having a 9-5 when someone else determines your schedule. You might have to wrap your mind around being a little crazy for awhile.
When you are just starting out, you will have to put in the extra hours to get your website set up, get training in the programs that your clients need you to use, and actually find clients. So it is safe to count on the first few months being a little mad.
Learning to schedule your time effectively at this stage will really help you when your business starts to grow and you have to figure out how much client work you can handle. Learn how to gauge the quantity and quality of time you are spending with your family so you can figure out a good balance between work and play.
It is really important that you don’t neglect your family as a work at home mom, that is one of the reasons you want to be at home and work for yourself! So balance is key. Try different blocks of time as work hours, try having your husband help at times and try working when the kids are both awake and asleep. Find what works for you and makes your family happy.
STEP 6: GET CLIENTS
Oh, right! How could I forget? You know what’s really important to succeed as a work at home mom? Actually having clients. If you have no idea where to find your first VA client there are some amazing resources out there to help you get started.
Sit down and evaluate your skills. Do you have skills in graphic design? Writing? Administration? Bookkeeping? Video editing? Have you been an executive assistant and handled someone’s calendar and appointment setting before? Draw on past experience, work, and hobbies to shape what you want to focus on as a virtual assistant.
If you have interest in an area but not a lot of skill, look into getting some training! You can find a VA mentor who will help direct you to programs that would be great for you, or you can do some research and find courses on your own. Even just using Google and YouTube will help you refresh your knowledge of a program or learn a new skill.
Potential clients will be attracted to you when you pitch to them with confidence, so make sure you are working on how you approach people that you want to work for. You can boost your professional appearance by creating a killer website, dressing like a pro, and speaking knowledgeably about your field.
One of the best ways to find clients is to network on social media. Find out where your ideal client hangs out and start talking there! You can use Facebook groups, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms to find and interact with potential clients. If you are a consistent presence in those circles you can build free name recognition and establish yourself as a resource when people have questions. This is a great way to find clients!
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