How Distant Assistants Manage Their Time

Ever wondered how distant assistants manage their time? We surveyed ten promising individuals in the industry to get a glimpse of their work strategies. Here are their answers:

Allocate Time Wisely

Kristine, Social Media Manager: I create a to-do list prior to starting work and budget time for each task. I give more attention to urgent tasks and work on completing them first during the day. During my shift, I also take breaks to replenish my energy for the remaining hours.

Do the Difficult Tasks First

Ro-Ann, Content Writer: I maintain a routine weekly. I list down my tasks and arrange my schedule for every day of the week.

At the start of the day, I try to work on the difficult tasks so that I expend my energy for tasks that need more focus. Any remaining tasks feel a lot less taxing if I succeed in clearing my to-do list of those bigger tasks.

Do the Easy Tasks First

Paolo Christian Gallardo, Web Engineer: I manage my time by focusing on high priority items in my list. I also use productivity apps, such as Basecamp and Trello. They help me track my hours spent on a project and identify which tasks to work during the day.

I handle the easier tasks first, and do sprints that challenge me to finish as many tasks as possible within an hour.

Do the Pomodoro

Sherwin, Web Developer: I use a project management tool to schedule priorities. For some tasks, I use the Pomodoro Technique.

Give More Attention to Work

Cedrick, Graphic Designer: I find it easier to manage my time when I prioritize work. I make it an effort to eliminate distractions, such as opening my social media account and doing other things that keep me from finishing tasks.

In the end, my work suffers just as much as I do when I allow myself to be distracted. The more focused I am, the more productive I become.

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Prioritize, Organize, and Be Happy

Mike, Audio Editor: As a full-time editor, father of six, and husband, I have an erratic schedule every day. I learned three things.

First, do what makes you happy. My performance at work improves when I feel good and refreshed. It gives me energy to handle daily activities. 

Second, turn off distractions. Find a place where none can take your attention away from work. It is among the best ways to stay focused.

Last, get your calendar in order. If it is not in my calendar, it is not going to happen.

I do my best to make a habit of blocking time on my calendar for strategizing, creativity, and budgeting. I do the same for meetings, fetching the kids from school, among other things.

Schedule the Hours

Romely, Distant Assistant: I schedule my work hours even when I am on a flexible schedule. I also make sure to schedule those hours during the business hours of my client. It gives them the impression that I want to be available for them despite our time zone difference.

Set Priorities and Follow Through

Diane, Content Curator: Managing my time as a distant assistant is easy. All I need is to set priorities. Since I work full time for my client, I dedicate most of my day finishing assignments.

The rest of the day, I still find time to cook, do errands, and go to Church. I also manage my business on the side and visit it regularly. Messaging apps and productivity tools also play a huge role, because they help me stay updated online.

Related Post: Top Reasons Why People Decide to Work from Home

Stay Away from Distractions

RJ, Web Developer: I avoid visiting my social media accounts during work hours. Often, to minimize distractions, I stay inside my room and remind my family that I am working. To-do lists and the project management tools are also helpful in setting my priorities straight.

Work According to the Need

Rechelle, Recruitment Manager: My schedule depends on the volume and type of tasks on my plate. I have a lot of tasks every day so I organize them from the most urgent to the least. This way, I also get to provide better updates about my job to the team.

Conclusion

Distant assistants manage their time in different ways. Some of them multi-task while a number do routine jobs only. Their job roles and the flexibility of their work schedule also affect the number of tasks they complete in a day.

Working from home does not make them any less productive. They take the initiative to manage their time. They keep themselves focused at work so that their clients feel more confident delegating tasks to them.

Let us know what you think about this post on How Distant Assistants Manage Their Time by leaving a comment below. We also invite you to try this fun quiz if you are looking to hire a distant assistant.

Jaime Jay

About Jaime Jay

Meet Jaime Jay – a man who wears many hats, and wears them all admirably. He's a master connector, an entrepreneur extraordinaire, and a published author who knows how to get things done.

Before he found his way to the business world, Jaime served his country as a brave paratrooper in the U.S. Army. But that's just the beginning of his many accomplishments.

He's the founder of the renowned Bottleneck Distant Assistant Services firm, and his book "Quit Repeating Yourself" has become a must-read for entrepreneurs everywhere.

When he's not busy building his empire, you can find him on his beloved Harley Davidson, cruising through the countryside and taking in the invigorating effects of Uitwaaien – a Dutch practice that involves facing the wind to boost health and relieve stress.

He enjoys spending his free time outside building stuff with his wife, Nikita the dog and their two kittens (for now at least) Tommy and Tater.

He is ‘over-the-moon’ happily married to his wonderful wife Sara, his amazing daughter, Jessica, who is serving our country as a United States Army soldier. Jaime and Sara are the proud grand parents of two beautiful little girls.

Victoria Dorsano
Victoria Dorsano
2023-09-17
Bottleneck has been such an amazing support for my business! They have a seamless process to ensure you find the right fit for your DDA. I am so thankful I started working with them! I'm now able to accomplish so much more in my business with a personal DDA and editing team on my side. Thank you!!
Rockwell Felder
Rockwell Felder
2023-03-15
I cannot thank the team at Bottleneck enough for their incredible support of our business. Their team has played a vital role in helping us staff our customer support and ensuring our customers were satisfied with our services. Their Distant Assistants were extremely helpful in answering inquiries promptly, handling complaints, and providing solutions to our customers' needs. Their professionalism, attention to detail, and communication skills are exceptional. Working with Bottleneck has been a fantastic experience, and I highly recommend their services to anyone needing a reliable and efficient virtual assistant, especially for customer support.
Karen Ravano
Karen Ravano
2022-09-24
I am grateful and blessed to be part of this team. It’s such a wonderful experience because i gain more experience and help me enhance my basic skills. This will be my stepping stone to my career as a newbie in this kind of industry. It would help to reach my goals.
Jeany Mercadal
Jeany Mercadal
2022-09-16
Bottleneck Distant Assistants can lessen the burden of company owners. We provide excellent services depending on our client needs. We are not scam, clients surely get more than what they pay for. Being part of this team helped me hone my skills and become excellent in all my works.
Jeff Peñaflor
Jeff Peñaflor
2022-09-14
I started last March 24, 2021 as a Dedicated Distant Assistant and it was an awesome experience. In this new journey, as Security Administrator of Bottleneck Distant Assistants, I have been supported by the team, A LOT !!!! All help that I need, the whole team is there to support me. I know that there are a lot of room for improvements with my skills and what I know, but because of BNDA, I became equipped with all the weapons I need to conquer the daily challenges especially with my tasks. With BNDA, they will not just help you to aim high, but soar the skies!
Tinoe D
Tinoe D
2022-09-09
I don't remember the last time I loved what I was doing until Bottleneck came into the picture. I love working for bottleneck, they are professional. The management makes the workplace fun and they're very flexible. I definetly recommend that you make that important switch and be part of something big today by joining BNDA.
Michael Goodcliffe
Michael Goodcliffe
2022-09-09
Jaime and his team are incredible at what they do! Joining them has been one of the best decisions in my life! I whole heartedly recommend them to anyone who are looking to scale and improve their business. Their highly 'Dedicated Distant Assistants' are well trained. They are top notch!
GM Simon
GM Simon
2022-09-08
Working with Bottleneck is not just having one or two assistants working alongside you. You have the support of the whole team behind them as well.
Ma. Edeliza Silot
Ma. Edeliza Silot
2022-09-07
Aside from the knowledge gained, the trainers are highly commendable.
Sara Knox
Sara Knox
2022-09-07
What an awesome business! Finally, a way to hire the RIGHT person for my administrative tasks and they are remote! No office space to consider, W2's, 1099's or payroll. Jaime and his team of remote workers are top-notch! I hired my first assistant in May. I recently suffered a motorcycle accident and it left me unable to work for 2 weeks. But my assistant stepped right in to guide our CEO on all matters financial. It’s so nice to have that stress eliminated from my life!
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