Whenever the unions who represent the London Underground employees of Transport for London (TfL) announce a tube strike you can clearly hear the moans and groans from Zones 1 to 9 and the surrounding areas. The second tube strike within a month hit London last week, luckily quite a few Londoners were off on their jollies, so although disruptive it didn’t have as much of an impact as the July strike.
Reasons for the strike were based on the new night service TfL are planning to introduce on 12 September (my birthday, yippee!). Yep, London still does not have a night service, our tubes stop service a little before 1am. Whilst in New York they have been running 24/7 since 1904, in Copenhagen since 2002 and in places like Berlin, Vienna and Stockholm where they run throughout the weekend. We still have to rely on night buses or taxis.
Our London Underground network carries 1.3million passengers per day. During the tube strike I wonder how many realised that it was easier to walk or cycle to work and have continued to do so. Or have considered if they even have to commute, meaning if they worked just as effectively from home? It is estimated that the strikes will costs of the economy somewhere between £50m and £300m. This is a huge loss for businesses, especially small businesses.
Navigating the tube during the rush hour is sometimes quite unpleasant. Being 5’1” I was often the recipient of a newspaper being rested on my head or of a gentleman’s freshly deodorised armpit or if it was during the evening… well I don’t have to go into those details, bleugh! These memories make me pleased that I currently do not have to relive them. This is the luxury of being a VA and of having a VA to hand. The work we do is totally unaffected by strikes, road traffic, leaves on the track and the wrong kind of snow (yes, this is a thing!). Maybe we produce work in the comfort of our homes sat in our pyjama’s at 11am or whilst being served a cuppa in our new favourite hangout or whilst sharing a desk at a business hub with a fellow entrepreneur. The fact of the matter is, we are pretty smug happy that we do not have to commute in the first place. Being virtual and mobile is just one of the pleasures of being a VA. I can send out your business tweets and retweet interesting articles whilst I’m making my morning tea and toast, it doesn’t matter as long as it’s done, right?
The mental and physical freedom of not having to navigate the tube or any sort of transport system is priceless. Compared to the average commuter I have an additional 10 hours in my working week which I can dedicate to my clients. I have a more relaxed mind-set and I can remain focussed as I do not get interrupted by office gossip or the chocolate tin (the latter being more relevant for me!).
Here are more advantages of hiring me, as your Virtual Assistant:
Cost-saving
- If you are self-employed VA’s are tax-deductible as I am not an employee
- I can help keep your business running 24/7
- You do not need to provide me with a desk
- You only pay for the work completed – you don’t have to pay for equipment or benefits
Time-savings
- Need help polishing a PowerPoint presentation, let me do that for you
- I can undertake extensive research on your behalf, saving you time
- Is it time to take a break? I can help plan and book your next holiday.
- As your VA I can generate new business for you by contacting potential buyers and sellers
Diary of a Virtual Assistant 