Working on websites all day can be so much fun. Most of the time, it doesn't even feel like work. It's like surfing the net all day, reading about interesting stuff, learning new things and trying out new stuff. These are the perks that come with being a Virtual Assistant-Writer. Well, my previous contracts used to say Content Writer but now that VA work has become in demand, I've decided to grow and go with the flow.
Yes, being a VA-Writer is so much fun but a warning for those who would like to try it -- never do anything before reading the manual -- online or otherwise. You can watch video tutorials or read the actual rules and policies of what you need to do but one thing that I will always hold close to my heart and mind is this -- our learning curve is dependent on a few things, one of them is the willingness to try new things and the other is the determination to succeed at it. And that could mean a whole lot of research. This is not to discourage anyone, far from it. I just want to write this down in case I forget this golden rule myself.
Even the key to writing great, credible content is research, research, research. Remember when real estate agents said it was about location, location, location? Well for us VA-Writers, it's all about research. You can try as many ways to use new software or install a plugin or two into a website but at the end of the day, not knowing what we're doing could be stressful. I learned this the hard way. The up-side? I just got glowing remarks from my client for a quick turnaround -- conducting an evaluation about our project and writing a report about it. Sure, it was hard work but at the end of the day, knowing that you finally nailed it is such a great feeling. It's too bad it rained today cuz I was oh so ready to head off to church today and give thanks to God for making all things possible.
This is one of the reasons why I so love working from home. Even though it can get lonely at times being cooped up in my room, staring at my computer for hours on end, I just love the fact that at the end of the day, I can just "step away from the computer" and do my thing. Spend time with my family, go to church, go walking around our neighborhood, pay our nearby grocery shop a visit and buy V-cut. lol. Private joke between me and my uncle and aunty. But yeah, I so enjoy working from home because I don't have to waste time, effort and money on travel, I get to share home cooked meals with my family (I don't usually cook but I intend to start soon).
But then, I digress. I just wanted to share this lesson which I learned the hard way -- not doing your research can be harmful even to your own health. The best part about my work is that even though it's not my business, I feel like such a part of our "family." Also, I learn to think on my feet, because no one else is here to do that for me. Yes, I still ask a lot of questions and I keep hoping my client and teammates don't get irritated but that's my way of learning. I love sharing ideas with others and hearing their input on the things we do on a daily basis. Plus, as each system is set up then redesigned, our workflow improves by leaps and bounds. We actually see results.
One more thing I learned, which I should have done in the first place, is not to read every single email that comes along. It can be taxing trying to keep up of who sent what and where this email came from and whatever else happens, at the end of the day, keeping your focus on the task at hand brings you the greatest feeling. Doing things one step at a time does pay. And it's the best way to get things done.
I'm currently using a system where I prepare a Things To Do the day before, then review it in the morning and send it to my client, then do one task at a time, crossing each one off as I go along. Then if I have some pending tasks, it goes into the next day's list, and so on and so forth. So yeah, now I have a system that I'm really happy with. It works for me and I intend to develop this and try to share new tips each day, if I'm not too tired. For now, my eyes are a bit droopy so I'll bid you Ciao until next time! God bless us all! :)
