‘Can I just go back to bed?”, ‘I really don’t want to adult today?’, ‘Where is the adultier adult? and ‘I quit” have all popped out of my mouth on days where I’ve just felt like I just don’t want to do or be on that day.

Human nature means that even if we absolutely love the work that we do there WILL be days when we just don’t want to do the work today. But what do you do when you’re a small business owner, solo entrepreneur who has to work even when they don’t want to? How can you set up your business to work when you really don’t want to?!

Your moods matter

When you’re aiming to look after yourself as human and as a business owner your moods do matter. They matter because they can be an indicator of your wellness, both physical and mental. As a solo entrepreneur YOU are your business. If you’re not aiming to look after yourself, it would probably be a good choice to start.

Psychological theories like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs talk about the importance of looking after your basic needs before you can build relationships, feel accomplishments and be creative all of which are needed for business growth.

Your business relies on you

Depending on your mood, that piece of information can be amazing or terrifying. Whether you're a product based business or a service based business, if you are a small business then you are key to your business.YOU are important. If you were out of action how would your business keep working?

Having things in place to mean that your business can work if you are ill or if you take a much needed holiday also allows you to slow down when your mood is telling you that’s what it needs. That slowing down will likely enable you to keep going. It can feel counter productive to rest when things are busy but it can make you more productive, more creative and more successful.

There’s a lot of research into the idea of the 4 day working week. Not trying to fit 5 days work into 4 working days but literally arranging your week to work 4 days of work. Companies have found their teams are healthier, happier and more productive in 4 day working weeks. I’m not suggesting you do a 4 day week but it does show the value in allowing time or days for rest and that it can be positive for your business.

How a VA can help?

Hiring a Virtual Assistant might be something you can do to help set yourself up for days when you ‘just-don’t-want-to’, need a holiday or have got ill. Hiring a VA doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be working for them forever. There are

Automations/templates

A VA can help set up automations and templates in your business.

Maybe you are currently responding to every email individually but could benefit from a VA helping you set up template responses even if you then make small changes in response.
Templates can also be created for branded social posts which can then be easily edited.
Systems can often be automated too. Where you are manually sending out downloads there’s probably a way to automate that. Or perhaps someone signs up to a service and you need them to fill in a form, this can often be automated taking a step out of your process and buying you time and using less of your mental energy.

There’s loads more than can be automated like adding people to groups when they sign up or getting information from clients.

Support for one off

Got a project that you’d love to get live but you just don’t have the time? That’s where a VA would be able to help.

Maybe you’ve got a lead magnet you want downloadable but you’ve not got time to set it all up - as a VA this is something I can help with.
Perhaps you’re launching a course and just need someone to do the work to get it live or to help create the content - as a VA this is something I can help you with.

On going support

Over the next few months or years you might recognise the need for ongoing support within your business. You may know you’re not ready for an employee but you want someone consistent - a VA is a great solution to this which also works out cheaper for your business.

Customer service emails taking up too much of your mental space and creative time - as a VA this is something I can help you with.
Social media images take more time to create than you want to put into them and so you just don’t post - as your VA I can do this work.
Need to spend more time in your community to boost engagement but finding the time is stopping you from doing other tasks only you can do - as your VA I love this kind of work.

Cheerleader

Every VA is different but with me you are also hiring a cheerleader. I am passionate about helping small business owners to thrive, as well as their business. I often get a chance to encourage and cheer on my clients when they are having wobbles about their work or commitments.

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There WILL be times you just don’t want to work or adult, even when you love your business. Being set up with a VA means that your business can continue to move forward in those moments when you need to listen to your body and stop AND when you need a holiday or make time to rest when you’re ill.

Get in touch to discuss VA support from me

When you just don’t want to