In my virtual world I have found the challenges of sharing and collaborating on projects with clients and colleagues to be one of the big ones. For everyone on the team to work effectively everyone needs to have access to the documents we are all working on together. I find when everyone can work on the documents at any time and still leave them in a place where they are accessible to the rest of the team there is less time wasted with emailing, faxing, calling back and forth and waiting for answers.  Once a sharing platform is chosen for the project every member of the team knows they can go there to find the latest copy of all of the documents that pertain to that project. Lots of sharing and collaborating platforms have places to post messages for all team members to see and as well, a method for private messages that I only want a specific person to see.

There are many different programs available on the internet. Most of them have a free component that does not include all the bells and whistles that the versions that you pay for have but are still very powerful programs that can do most anything that I need to do for the size of projects that I need to share. Doing a comparison of the different plans a program offers makes it easy to decide what specific features you think you want to use for your project and then deciding how much you want to pay over the basic free plan.

There is no end to the usefulness of a program that you can work together with others in. I like to be able to share files and images, to create groups within projects and to speak with other group members in real time chat rooms. Some programs have white board features where all members of the group can be brainstorming their ideas all at once and adding them to the white board themselves with no need for a moderator to do all of the writing. I find it is useful to have a feature where group members can take ownership of individual tasks within a project and they can set milestones so the project keeps moving forward and on time so the deadline that has been set can be met. With some programs tasks, milestones and meetings can be synced with Outlook or Google Calendar so no one forgets and everything pops up at their finger tips. What could be more convenient than that?!

When I am considering which sharing and collaborating platform I am going to use on a project I like to choose one that has an application for my Blackberry. I like to have that mobile component so I can access documents and projects where ever I am. Some days in my life I just never know where I will be or what I will be doing so I like to be able to use any down time to stay in touch with my clients and colleagues and to access any documents I might need to refer to.  You just never know when I may be hit with a brilliant thought or idea I just have to share right away with other team members before it eludes me! It’s been known to happen!

I have found that sharing/collaborating platforms can make my virtual life a lot easier and hassle free, I hope you find that they will do the same for you. Happy sharing!

Do you remember when the little ding and the automated voice saying “You’ve got mail!” made you run expectantly to your computer to see who near and dear to you was dropping you a note?

Wow, are those days ever gone! Back in the day, not that long ago, the e-mail was probably from a dear friend that I couldn’t wait to hear from. Today e-mail can be from a whole host of strangers bombarding me with everything from get rich quick schemes to advertising, in other words SPAM.

E-mail today is either a god-send or can be the bane of my existence. Pretty much whichever I consider it to be, it is an undisputedly highly important form of communication in today’s work world. What VA worth their salt could function without it?

Don’t get me wrong I love getting e-mail as it is the most important form of communication in my VA business. I know I could not do the virtual work that I do without it. E-mail keeps me in touch with other members of my team and my clients. If I manage it right, it is a wonderful form of communication that makes my work easier and more efficient.

E-mail etiquette is a pet peeve of mine. Your e-mail is the first impression someone gets about you and your business; in a virtual world maybe the only impression they will get of you.  My thoughts are “The better the e-mail is written the better the impression you make.” I believe there is e-mail etiquette to be followed by both the sender and the receiver. It is important to remember your audience when composing your e-mails. I like to keep business e-mails professional but let my personality shine through in notes of a personal nature to friends and family, yes, I have even been known to add a smiley face or two.

I am a bit of a stickler for correct spelling and grammar. Spelling and grammar checks can be done right on your computer, making it very easy to catch most errors. I really appreciate a clearly defined subject line that gives me all of the information that the e-mail will be about, as well as, making it easier to find when I have to refer back to it at a later date. Some other items that I consider when I am writing an e-mail are: I only include one topic per e-mail unless I am going to use bullet points or numbering to set ideas apart for the ease of the reader, I always draw attention to attachments so the reader will not miss them, I like to use simple, direct language and to stay away from jargon or abbreviations that readers may not be familiar with and I proof read the e-mail before I send it (hopefully, catching any errors). These tips make it easier for me to read e-mails when I am on the receiving end so I hope those who receive mine feel the same way.

As a recipient and reader of an e-mail I feel it is important to give the e-mail the attention it deserves, much as I would if the sender were speaking to me personally. After all, the sender thought the information was important enough to take the time to compose it and send it to me. I like to carefully read the e-mail message to get the full meaning and gather all of the information that is delivered in it. I try to respond to all of the points that have been included, if I am asked to respond, in a timely manner. If I have not been asked to respond I still like to send a quick note back to let the sender know that I have received and read their e-mail.

Apart from the mechanics of e-mail writing, I think it is very important to ensure that the message and tone intended for the reader is the message and tone that they receive. It is sometimes very hard to convey the tone you are intending. With careful choice of wording you can set the mood of the message; you would not want to sound like you are being flip about a serious subject, or conversely, that you are angry when you are in fact not. I find re-reading my message will help me to make sure the tone I want to set is the tone that I have achieved. It is so much easier to take a moment when writing the e-mail to set the tone than it is to have to go back and explain myself after it may have been mistakenly misinterpreted.

Well, after sharing all these thoughts with you, happy e-mailing!

Ding! “You’ve got Mail” That’s my cue! I am back to communicating in a virtual world!

With the advances in technology many industry job positions have become obsolete and many new industry job positions have been developed. One such industry is the Virtual Assistant industry. It seems that more and more people are seeking ways to access free time in their lives to do activities that give them personal satisfaction outside of the work place. This is where Virtual Assistance becomes a very desirable industry to explore.

Virtual Assistance is a career that allows you to be your own boss: setting your own hours, choosing your ideal clients, working from your home office and deciding what types of tasks you want to do. Many skills are required in the Virtual Assistant industry and a VA needs to be a lifelong learner, prepared to embrace many types of communication technologies and to acquire new skills in our ever changing business world. A VA can be an integral part of a clients business, offering them the skills that will allow the client to have the extra time in a day that they are seeking to do the activities that give them personal satisfaction outside the work place. It is a win-win industry that many people are now looking to get involved with.

There are many educational program options available to anyone looking to expand their knowledge. One such certificated program is the Virtual Assistant Program at Red Deer College. This program helps you to develop many, many essential skills required in today’s business world, such as, how to be an effective communicator and to be proficient in many computer programs. The Red Deer College program is delivered virtually, which gives students the opportunity to practice working and effectively communicating in a virtual world.

No matter what your age or educational background now is the time to embrace the power of knowledge that can be yours!

These all important people in your life and mine are the people we turn to for advice, approval and as a sounding board. They form a very diverse group from family, close friends and business colleagues, whose opinion we value and respect. I know mine would be a very lonely, desolate world without these special people in my life.

Just think if you didn’t have someone to turn to, to offer solace in trying times or to go wild with you and celebrate the big and little achievements in our lives. Someone who understands when you just need to vent about some small trivial occurrence that even you are going to laugh about latter, or who is there to console you when the bigger tragedies in life happen. It is important to have these people in our life who are our biggest cheerleaders and genuinely celebrate our achievements with us and wish us the best.  These people give our lives substance and value. They are who keep us grounded and resilient; better able to face whatever comes our way in life.

If we are lucky we have more than one person to fill these giant shoes. Our special relationships are with people we have known our whole lives, like our parents and siblings; or friends we have made along the way from grade school to a kid who lived down the road who we have shared our growing up years; to people whom we share mutual interests with and have built a strong bond between. Some who understand us on a personal level, some who understand us on a professional level and often if we are really lucky, some special someone who understands us on a deeper spiritual level, a soul mate.  Eerily enough it feels like these special people practically share our thoughts before we have even put them to words. That is a very special bond.

Thanking and recognizing these special people in our lives is very important. Little gestures are just as important as grand gestures. Feeling and knowing they are valued and appreciated is all that is really required and there are many, many ways to do that, as individual as the relationship.

Be they close friend, family or valued business colleague I know I  would be lost without them in my life as they  help make it rich and full; saving my sanity when the world just gets too crazy to handle. Their help and support comes in the form of giving advice, being a sounding board, mentorship, a shoulder to cry on, a babysitting service, faithful companion on wild girls night out; anything I need to overcome challenges or celebrate successes!

Be sure to celebrate the important people in your life and let them know what a huge difference they make and how much you appreciate their support and friendship in your life.

A big thank you to all the special people in my life!

Working from home or a virtual office is more viable than ever. Technology has paved the way for the non-traditional workplace.  Anyone can work just about anywhere providing they have the strategies to make it work.   The recent statistics speak to this in volumes. 

Although working from home has its distinct advantages as the 3.6 million home workers can most likely attest to, this work environment requires not only the technology to make it happen, it also requires the mindset to ensure its success.

The virtual office mindset incorporates the external elements, the tech savvy knowledge and know-how to effectively work in a virtual environment.  Just as important, it is also about the internal elements all virtual office workers need in order to be successful. 

The internal elements are those items that keep us happy, healthy, motivated, and productive.  Without them, no amount of high-tech equipment or computer knowledge will make your work from home journey a success.

One such internal element is the need for work-life balance.  Unlike corporate employees who in most cases have a set routine, work starts at 9:00am and ends at 5:00pm when they leave the office, this is not so for those working from home.  The line often becomes blurred.

According to the Canadian Social Trends (Dec. 7, 2010) report, data collected from the General Social Survey shows that corporate employees who work at home do not have a greater sense of balance between job and home life.  It was noted that those individuals who worked at home more than 10 hours per week in 2008, were more likely to be dissatisfied with work-life balance then those individuals who had never worked from home .  54% of those individuals who were dissatisfied with their work-life balance attributed their dissatisfaction to spending too much time working.

As these numbers show, working from home has its real challenges. It is much too easy for a virtual office worker to over commit their time and energy if there is no distinct separation between the work and the home.   It’s imperative for those working from home to set clear boundaries with others and themselves so it’s understood when work begins and when work ends.   Setting boundaries and being disciplined to uphold them is one step of many needed to achieve the work-life balance that is necessary for a low stress, healthy work at home environment.

Another challenge virtual office workers face is the isolation factor. Although some individuals who work from home still have face to face contact with others, especially if they are a corporate employee working from home on a part time basis,  those who are self-employed and set up shop at home may have minimal or no contact at all with those outside the home.  With communication tools such as email, Voice over IP and web conferences, an individual has numerous methods of communicating and conducting business without ever having to leave their home. While some personality types may handle being alone without difficulty, someone who is an extrovert and needs that personal contact may feel the sting of isolation much more.

For these individuals it’s important to incorporate strategies into their daily or weekly routine to help combat the feelings of isolation which can ultimately lead to lack of motivation, loneliness and in extreme cases depression.   Making an extra effort to schedule outings and personal contact on a regular basis will help combat feelings of isolation and help promote good mental and physical health.

Although the dream of working from home is becoming very much a reality for the Canadian work force, in order to succeed you have to have the complete mindset, the virtual office mindset.  Being aware of the external and internal elements needed in order to be successful in a virtual work environment will ensure your virtual office dream doesn’t turn into a very real nightmare.