My Virtual Cubicle

Working at home has its advantages.  It’s been at least three months since I had to buy a new pair of pantyhose.  My hair is healthier than it’s ever been since I’m no longer trying to tame it into submission every day with a blowdryer, straightening iron, then a curling iron (crazy, I know, but I actually need both a straightening iron and a curling iron to make my lifeless thin hair look like it has some body to it).  My feet are recovering from the abuse of the past holiday season while I worked as an Event Planner/Marketing Director for a restaurant.  My penchant for lovely, sassy shoes while working on my feet, running stairs and carrying trays for 10 or 12 hours a night has caused my feet to become misshapen, sore and really ugly (but I looked cute while doing it, and as any woman will tell you, that’s all that matters).  Plus, the commute from bed to my desk in the morning can’t be beat.  I watch the morning news with amusement now – traffic jam?  Oh well!  Construction – who cares?  I’ve gotten to my office in 30 seconds flat and the only holdup I encountered was my dog wanting a little scratch behind his ears before finding a nice spot to nap.  And truth be told, I love being my own boss, setting my own hours and making the decisions.  The creative freedom is a pretty big plus, too.

It’s funny though, because I never imagined there could be a downside to working at home, which seems to be everyone’s dream, second only to becoming independently wealthy by hitting the Power Ball.   The biggest downside I’ve found so far is the lack of human contact I get during the day.  Sure, I have meetings and appointments now and then.  I don’t spend every day working in my pj’s.  But for the day in, day out, regular work I need to do, for the most part I’m alone all day.  That’s where my participation in social networking sites, and more importantly, industry forums, has helped me keep my sanity.

When you work at home, or like me, are a virtual assistant, there aren’t any co-workers around to help break up the work day.  There’s no one to chat with about who got kicked off American Idol and Dancing with the Stars (I know, I can’t help it, I like that show), how crappy the weather in Pittsburgh is, what our kids are doing at school, and absolutely no one to vent to when you’re having a bad day.  I’ve tried telling the dogs my woes, but they look at me like “shouldn’t you be LEAVING for your J-O-B soon so we can jump up on the furniture and sleep all day?”.

More importantly, there is no one around when I’m having a problem with a project, need a fresh set of eyes to proofread something for me, or someone to brainstorm with when I’m hopelessly stuck.  At first, I’ll admit, I liked the fact that I didn’t have to deal with co-workers.  People can sometimes be very annoying when you’re stuck in a cubicle in a windowless office for ten hours a day.  Even worse than the annoying co-worker, is the one who tries to sabatoge you.  It pains me to say it, but some women can be really catty, and just plain mean when you’re working in an office.  My time spent stuck in law offices as a legal secretary many moons ago was the worst time of my life.  The gossip, the jealousy and the overall cruelty would send me running for the ladies room, lest one of the in-crowd see that they affected me and somehow use it against me in the future.  Still though, I miss the good friends I made and I miss the interaction with the people I trusted and respected.

So, I’m surfing the net one day, and stumble upon Virtual Assistant Forums - a community of VA’s, all working from their homes, just like me.  I spent a day or two just lurking around the boards, reading posts and checking the site out.  The amount of information and resources for VA’s on this site is unbelievable.  I decided to go ahead, create an account (free, of course) and introduce myself.  From day one, I was greeted with open virtual arms and made to feel at home and like a valued member of the community.  These women (and a few men) are incredibly talented and intelligient, extremely giving and supportive, great business people, and really, really funny!  No matter what time of the day or night I log in to the site, someone is usually there.  A business question posted will always receive a slew of answers and opinions.  A rant will always receive the unfailing support of my virtual co-workers.  A personal problem will always receive good wishes and prayers.  And when I have a success to share, these wonderful, giving women are just as excited and enthusiastic as if it were their own sucesses.  Never before in my life have I seen the true spirit of community and friendship at work on a daily basis.  I have found my virtual office space, and am proud to have set up my virtual cubicle right next to theirs.

If you work at home, are interested in learning more about virtual assistants, or need information on setting up your virtual assistant practice, I urge you to visit Virtual Assistant Forums.  There is a wealth of information on everything from setting up your practice, contracts and legal forms, marketing and branding, blogging and websites, and everything in between.  When you stop by, make sure to poke your head over the cubicle walls and say hello.  My virtual cubicle is the third one on the left – I’ll have a cup of tea waiting for you.

Yvone M. Kon
Owner
M.Y. Marketing & Design
Your Virtual Marketing Assistant – At Your Service!

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