How often should you be contacting your VA when you are on holiday?
In our last post we raised the question ‘Do you need a VA when preparing for your holiday?’
As the time of year approaches where we are thinking of packing up our suitcases and taking a well deserved break away from our businesses. It’s at this point that we should really start being prepared, so that we can head off into the sunset (or to the snowy mountains if skiing is your thing) and have peace of mind that everything is taken care of.
Running your own business is great and it means that you don’t have to turn to anyone to approve your holiday request; you can pretty much go when the time is right for you. However, there’s a little more preparation required to ensure that everything ticks along nicely during your absence, so that upon your return, you don’t need a holiday to get over the workload you’ll face when you come back!
If you have established that turning to a Virtual Assistant for support is the way forward for you, then you’ve made a great decision. You’ve also taken the step to making a business changing development because once you get used to what your VA can do for you, there’s no going back. Consider them now firmly your right (or left) hand (wo)man.
So you are now confidently prepared to take a break. You’re at the airport, ready to board the ferry or simply spending a wonderful week here in the U.K and are packed up in your car with your camping gear. However you decide to spend your break is irrelevant, because the only thing that matters is that it’s all about you taking some time off.
But hang on a minute! You’ve left your VA in charge, should you be regularly checking in with them to make sure they don’t need anything?
The answer is to leave them to it. If you are well prepared, just like we mentioned in our previous post then you should be able to switch yourself off completely. However, as a business owner myself I also know how difficult this is, so here are a few tips that might help.
- If you feel that you need to make contact, then arrange to contact your VA at a set time per week during your time off. You can then put your mind at rest that everything is running smoothly. They will know when to expect your call and any issues or concerns can be addressed at that point. If you are constantly in contact then you are not focusing on your break.
- Give your VA details of an emergency contact. This is to be used only in matters of extreme urgency and set the boundaries as to what ‘extreme urgency’ means. Most VAs will use their own initiative anyway, but again, peace of mind for the client is everything.
- Give your VA details of an appointed alternative contact. Do you have a partner within your business that could be the first port of call should your VA have any questions? That way any questions or obstructive issues can be addressed at a non urgent level.
Hoping that this has given you a little food for thought that you can confidently take the holiday you deserve and that your business is in capable hands. There really is no need to be constantly contacting your VA – it will certainly limit where you can go!
Need that extra bit of reassurance, then why not get in touch with me to book your free discovery call and to talk about your requirements?
Employing staff is a whole new ball game with its own set of rules. Working with a VA is an option that a great many business people are turning to. Check out my book on How to Hire a Virtual Assistant. Available on Amazon by clicking here.
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