I met this wonderful business woman, Patty Dietz, at one of my networking events who is an Exercise Physiologist and it got me to thinking that working at home I no longer get out and am as physically active as I once was.  So I asked Patty to give me some physical fitness tips for the home worker and thought you might enjoy them as well.  I hope they get you moving as much as they will for me. 

You work at home, sitting at a desk all day or maybe at a workbench creating the wonderful delights that you sell. Whatever your business, working at home can cause some “cabin fever”, restlessness, physical tension and a decreased level of fitness (i.e weight gain!). Never fear, there are some things that you can do to break up your day and get some exercise without committing a big chunk of time.

• Chair squats – sitting straight in your seat with your feet flat on the floor and not using your hands/arms to help – Stand up, then sit down, then stand up again and sit down repeat 8-10 times
• Low back stretch – sitting straight in your seat with your feet flat on the floor, bend at the waist and let arms hang between legs towards floor, take 5 deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling in puffs through your mouth
  Arm Jacks – sitting straight in your seat with your feet flat on the floor, arms hanging at sides, perform the arm movement of jumping jacks at moderate to fast speed, repeat 8 – 10 times
• Buttocks stretch – sitting straight in your seat with one foot flat on the floor and the other leg crossed over the planted leg, ankle at the knee (like a man might sit casually), press down on the crossed knee with your hand as you bend at waist towards the bent knee, hold for 2 count, sit back up and lean against back of chair for 2 count, repeat 5 times.
• Chair crunches – sitting straight in your seat with your feet flat on the floor, knees at greater than 90 degree angle, grasp the seat of the chair with your hands, pull knees towards chest lifting feet off of floor (no need to worry about getting the knees all the way up to the chest), then lower feet back to floor, repeat 8-10 times
• Chest and shoulder stretch – sitting straight in your seat with your feet flat on the floor, place your hands on the back of the head, down low near the neck (do not clasp hands), without bending head down pull the elbows back and hold for 5 seconds, relax and repeat 5 times
• Shoulder circles – sitting straight in your seat with your feet flat on the floor, lift shoulders up , back down and forward (making circles), repeat 5 times. You can also hold each position for 2 seconds, consciously contracting all the muscles in the shoulder and upper back, before moving to the next position. My suggestion – mix it up and do both ways

Take a break every 60 to 90 minutes to just walk around the house, maybe do some spot cleaning or just check things out.

Drink plenty of water, dehydration occurs even without activity and sweating and can cause fatigue

Brought to you by Patty Dietz, MS, Exercise Physiologist and owner of Health Fitness Specialists. She is now offering a special deal until March 17, 2009 – On line personal training, 3 months for $75.00 with the $40 joining fee waived. For more information, contact her at pdietz@healthfitnessspecialists.com. To subscribe to her Health Fitness News e-newsletter, or to find out more about Health Fitness Specialists, go to www.healthfitnessspecialists.com

So know you have decided to partner with a Virtual Assistant, now what?  Communication is the key to any relationship and is equally important to your relationship with your Virtual Assistant.  Here are some suggestions that I have.

1.        Fill out the client questionnaire:   Did they send you one or have they covered this information with you.  I usually send to the questionnaire to those who I don’t have phone consultations with.  But this information lets the Virtual Assistant know about your business.

2.       Have a phone consultation with your assistant:  I like this method to gather information on you and your business.  I think you get more information than the questionnaire.  When your assistant schedules a call with you please be certain to give them the time they may need.  A lot can be had from this conversation that will benefit you in the long run.

3.       Give clear and concise instruction:  Okay now I know some you are working with assistants because of this very reason but the more you lay out the plan the less revisions.  Are there certain fonts that you like, let them know.  Is there a certain script you use, provide it.  The more details you provide, the less reworks you will need.

4.       Acknowledge emails and messages:  We know that you are busy but we don’t know that you receive our messages and often times they involve questions about the tasks you need completed.  A simple “got it and will get back” is enough for us to know the message received you.

5.       If you are not happy with the tasks completed let the assistant know: While we are diligent in the work we perform we are not perfect.  Sometimes there is miscommunication about completing the project and a simple conversation will alleviate that issue.  I have no problem with you telling me a task was not performed up to your standards but I need to know the standards by which I am compared to.  And if this should happen, please give your assistant a chance to correct the issue.

6.       If you are happy with the tasks completed let your assistant know: I know I take pride in the work that I perform and knowing that I have met your needs is key.  So when you assistant gets it right, let them know.  A quick note is helpful and better yet a testimonial is perfect.

This is just the basics and as you work with your Virtual Assistant you will define your partnership in a better light.  Just keep in mind that she (and even he) are running a business just like you and should be extended the same courtesies that you expect as an entrepreneur.

All the best,

Lee Drozak