I saw a VA post on a forum that she’s struggling to get motivated because it was such a lovely day outside and she wanted to know how others coped. She’d mentioned the word ‘job’ too, so I thought I’d give her my thoughts and what I do. The answer follows.  Please note – this would equally apply to anyone running a business, not just VAs.

First things first, this is not a ‘job’. It’s a business. And you need to treat it that way 🙂 You also need to give yourself some flexibility. Unless the client requires you to do something at a particular time of day, the day is yours to use up any way you want, as long as you get your clients’ work done within their required time frame. Who said you couldn’t go out and enjoy the sunshine? I certainly do. I make sure I take regular breaks from my computer, take my camera outside and go for walks to ensure I’m getting fresh air, vitamin D and to just take time to ‘smell the roses’.

Important thing for you to do is to work out how much you need to earn monthly, then break it down to weekly and daily and track what you’re earning. That way it’s not a shock for you at the end of the month if you haven’t met your quota.

Then next work out how many hours a day you need to be working in order to achieve your daily/weekly/monthly financial goal? And make sure you allow yourself time (and the freedom) to go outside when you want and if you want. After all, you’re a business owner – not an employee, and you should be able to choose to have some time to yourself when it suits. I certainly do!

Further to the above answer, our health and welfare is important. Not only do our families depend on us, but also our clients. Staying in front of a computer all day without breaks is not a good thing to do, and we all need some exercise, fresh air and what the outside world can give us.  Some may choose to go to the gym first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening. Some may choose to go for daily walks or bike rides, and others choose to take a short break here and there, throughout the day. Whatever works for you is good. Just remember that you get to choose when you take those breaks. 🙂