Controlled chaos seems to be the best description of most office spaces today. Stacks of paper waiting to be sorted, post it notes here and there, and old mail that you are pretty sure holds at least one bill that was not paid last month. This picture applies to the virtual office professional as well as the natural. But how can you gain control when all the post it notes seem to blur into one big eye sore and you are just too busy to dive into the stacks of papers to be sorted? I would like to offer a few business solutions to help you move forward and break the habits that keep you in this hectic atmosphere.

Are you technically challenged? I use to be. There was a time when I refused to purchase a home computer. That'sright – I hated the idea. I saw absolutely no reason to invest thousands into a PC. As I look back, I understand now what it was I really disliked about the idea. It was not the PC; it was my own fear of technology.


Being raised by religious parents, I grew up believing that having a PC in my home was like inviting the devil into my domain. Even I laugh at that now because today I could not live without my technical gadgets. I even have an Android phone that keeps me connected to Facebook and Twitter when I should really be spending time with family.

I still have a few challenges with technology, but as I get older I’ve learned to adapt by reading up on what I don’t understand. The Entrepreneur Magazine is a great place to start, not to mention the Internet. You've got to love GOOGLE these days!

Here are some hot tips for December 2011:

How to Create a Custom Hotkey for Your Favorite Application or Folder
By V.Laurie

Hotkeys are keyboard shortcuts that save time and effort. A number of them are built into Windows as well as into various applications and they are the subject of many of the tips in this section. Windows also has a feature that makes it possible to assign your own custom hotkeys to an application, folder, or file so that it can be opened with a minimum of effort. [Click title to read more]

How to Make Vista Run Faster
By Briard

‘The Wow starts Now’, was the catch-cry at Vista’s lavish launch early in 2007. The campaign was slick and glossy, but it didn’t take long for users to complain in droves that Vista was as slow as a wet week, a resource hog and painful to work with. The cool aero-glass look wasn’t enough to offset the pain. The verdict: Vista was a cane toad in fancy drag.

Microsoft’s infrequent responses reflected, with crystal clarity, the company’s arrogance. ‘Frankly, the world wasn't 100 percent ready for Windows Vista,’ was how one spokesperson put it. Mostly, Microsoft ignored the howls of protest because it knew that Vista would sell up a storm regardless, because it gets installed on almost every new PC sold. [Click title to read more]

In Closing…

With all of the great resources on the Internet, you and I no longer need to feel technically challenged. Invest three hours a week to reading, learning, and applying new things to the technical end of your business. You may even have fun doing it!

Managing your online business begins with knowing how to properly secure business documents. “How will you guarantee the security of my material?” This is a question I am often asked by a prospective client. Knowing is key to winning over that prospect’s confidence and trust. Do you know how to answer the question?

Over the years, I’ve learned that a cyber platform is not always the best solution to securely managing confidential material. You need to take steps that sometimes seam redundant; however, necessary.

Secure Your Documents

Where to you start? Luckily, there is software out there that can help.



Dropbox: is a free service which is uses cloud (Internet) storage. You and your client have immediate access to the documents from anywhere. If you purchase a subscription, you also have access to a number of features that protect you from the client that feels they need to "delete" everything.

GoDaddy’s Online File Folder: gives you the ability to backup your entire system to an online storage space. You can share the documents and retrieve them from anywhere.

External Backup System: is a necessity. There are a number of external backup systems to select from that you can purchase from Best Buy, Office Depot, or QVC. You simply connect the system (drive) to your computer, save your documents on it, and put it in a safe place.

All three methods are easy to implement into your business. The difficult task is "remembering to do it". If you use an Antivirus program like Norton Security Suite, you can configure the settings to do this automatically.

I personally use the Clickfree automatic backup device because it is a no brainer. I simply set a reminder to plug in the USB cable and off it goes. No clicking, selecting, or techie skills required.

Take a moment to evaluate what you’re currently using. Are you protected from an electrical outage? Can you easily retrieve documents when required? Do you have a system that can’t be hacked into? If you answered "NO" to any one of these questions, you need to STOP what you are doing and LOOK at something that will secure your client’s documents as well as your business material.

An internet profile is the online biography for online business owners and business professionals. It’s important to know how to write a profile online as potential employers and customers are always mining for information about the person they are planning to hire. Treat your internet profile as your online biography and make sure you have included as much information as possible.

1. Don’t Be Tightlipped about Your Business – Are you sure your business summary provides sufficient information about your business? An online biography that simply includes the company name and website URL is not going to motivate customers to make a call. Ensure that you are not making it difficult for your customers – your short presentation on the internet profile should motivate customers to make enquiries.

2. Optimize Your Profile for Freelancers– If you are not SEOing your internet profile for freelancers, you don’t know how to write a profile. It’s as simple as that! Search engine optimization is no longer the game of websites and blogs but you can use it on your internet profile too. Your business summary on social media internet profile on sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and MySpace can be search engine optimized, thus making sure that this short presentation is visible to several thousands of potential buyers.

3. Your Business Summary Should Highlight Your Unique Strengths – For business profiles and internet profile for freelancers, it’s extremely important to highlight your unique strengths and key successes that you have achieved. Elaborate on your top competitive advantages in your business summary that your competition is missing.

4. Background Information – Your online biography should contain which year the company was founded and the area it serves. Talk about why you are special in these areas. If you are a business professional, highlight how you helped a company to achieve tremendous success.

5. Updates – Now you know how to write an internet profile but your short presentation online should be constantly updated. Your internet profile should cover new successes you had and emphasize how you are growing.

If your internet profile doesn’t contain all this information, your online biography is not complete. Without sufficient information about you or your brand on the cyberspace, it’s nearly impossible to win customers. Transform your business summary right away to be more successful online!

For a Christian VA finding your way in a world that appears to be governed by the devil can be daunting, especially if you step out and make that verbal claim that “you are a Christian VA”. Every site you surf through online will prompt you to make a choice. It is how you handle that choice that will determine if working online is right for you.

As a mentor, I am often asked if I believe there is a place for one’s personal faith in the Internet realm of business. My answer is always – YES! I believe that without God we are nothing. It is He who has given me the opportunity to serve others as their business mentor and assistant. I cannot live one day without recognizing that by God’s grace I have the knowledge and skills to help others.

I will not lie. It is this bold step, to open my heart, which has caused pain and disappointment. (“Give freely and spontaneously…” Deuteronomy 15:10) But if I am not first honest with myself, how can I be honest with others. The characteristics of Christ are instilled in me. I face every choice in my day by first asking, “What would Jesus do?” Then, I act on it.

Many Christian Virtual Assistants and clients struggle with Social Media. It is not due to the lack of knowledge but rather the inability to protect one’s self from intrusive responses. The platform Facebook offers, for instance, puts you in touch with people who honestly do not care about who you are spiritually. Their main objective is to pull you into their personal business they obviously make public and insist you to engage in gossip. (“Don’t pass on malicious gossip.” Exodus 23:1 NIV)

Should I participate in Social Media?

Social Media has become the main platform for free marketing and there is no way you can avoid it if you want to give your clients the full experience of using your services. Yes, you can hide your head in the sand and close out the world. That is your right, but doing so will hurt your business. The key is to find the right balance and plenty of prayer.

I see Social Media as an opportunity to minister. I approach it with the mindset that nothing I say online, whether by IM, blogging, or even email is private. Therefore, it is important that I be mindful of my words. I would not be ashamed to say face to face what I say online or even to share with members of my church. I am in control of the settings and I can determine who is a threat and who is a friend.

Remember – You are what you post.
(“As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.” Ecclesiastes 10:1 NIV)

Remember, what would Jesus do? With every prompt you are given to respond, keep that question in the back of your mind and respond accordingly. You are first a Christian. If you’ve made that choice to let the world know they can trust your services because you serve the Lord first, then you must keep that same integrity when posting online.

So dear friend (Christian VA), it is my opinion that your purpose online is to be that light at the end of the tunnel, be that leader who directs others down a path of righteousness, be the comforter when your client has lost all patience, and be willing to give of your heart even if it will be trampled on. If you are not willing to do any of this, your purpose in life cannot be fulfilled here on the Internet.