Working from home as a Virtual Assistant means Empowerment in the end!
Sometimes people jump headfirst into things without considering the consequences and unknowns of working from home, because they become so enamored by the idea that they can work from the one place they enjoy being the most, i.e. home. Working from home definitely has its redeeming features; namely, (a) you don’t have to get dressed up if you don’t want to, (b) you don’t necessarily have to report to a boss—at least in person anyway, (c) you are only responsible for yourself and of course the client hiring you, (d) you can choose a schedule that works for you, which means if you need to pick the children up from school or get your shirt from the dry cleaners, you can do so, and not have to worry about the implications of scheduling conflicts. It’s true there are many benefits to working from home. Yet, some of these benefits will be determined on the basis of what type of work you are actually doing, working from home.
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A virtual assistant is someone who works from home, who remotely services an individual, or company for that matter, by doing a myriad of tasks. These tasks include (a) compiling databases in Excel, (b) taking incoming calls for the client via Skype or landline, (c) writing articles for search engine optimization purposes, (d) doing edits on a book, (e) creating PowerPoint and video presentations, and (f) any other kind of task you can think of which can be done remotely working from home.
For someone introverted whose ideal work environment is one that encompasses the embodiment of total autonomy, being a virtual assistant may sound like the perfect job!
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On the flip side of these benefits reside the consequences and unknowns mentioned earlier. For instance, people who work from home as virtual assistants can earn much less money than their counterparts doing the same types of work inside the confines of a traditional office setting. Often times, your average work from home individual forgoes health insurance as well as other company provided benefits, such as retirement pensions and paid company holidays. When you factor these elements into the equation, it becomes even more devastating and daunting to think about all that is given up as one works from home.
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So the question remains, do the pros outweigh the cons? The answer to this question is simply that it just depends on the individual and their specific circumstances. This answer is subjective, and relies on an answer from each individual considering working from home. An extrovert, who embraces audiences, and who enjoys the interaction of other people, may very well decide against the idea of working from home as a virtual assistant. On the other hand someone who is more introverted, someone who embraces autonomy to a high degree, and someone who is happiest in their own home environment, well to this individual it may very well be the best decision for them to choose by choosing to work from home as a virtual assistant, in this type of capacity.
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One has to consider one’s propensities and faculties as well as ones education and adeptness and talents, to determine if working from home is something that is a right choice for them. One also has to consider one’s habits and work behaviors,because, as people who flourish working in a traditional office setting, with near-total supervision and guidance, perhaps this person would fall apart left on their own expedients, i.e. working from their home with absolutely no supervision, guidance, or help. Working from home can be just as demanding and exacting as working in a traditional office setting, so for this reason targets and schedules still need to be set in place and adhered to, but in the end, you may find, like most people find, that working from home, all in all, far outweighs the daily commute, the daily office gossip, and a stressed-out boss who keeps nagging you to move faster and faster, while constantly adding more and more tasks and expectations on top of your already piling workload. At least working from home, you can control the workflow, and therefore control how much income you actually make. This spells empowerment in my book!!!!