If you've transitioned to your VA practice completely (and no longer share your day with a 9-5) I'm wondering what time you start your work day - do you have a 'set' schedule and if so, what time do you start, how do you ensure you're working with no distractions at that time each day, etc.

And, relatively, how do you handle the end of your day - do you have an official 'out of office' hour or do you play it by ear depending on the work that needs to be done.

Is consistency important for your daily success or, do you handle your days less like a traditional workday and work 'when you're ready to work', etc?

Please share your own philosophies and schedules regarding what works for you on a daily basis.

__________________

when i start the business, I shall be working from 2.30pm (i have to watch my soap - the tv channel has just changed the start time and i'm really angry!!) and try and finish @ 6.30pm; however, if there is work that I have to get done, I will work after tea time and try and finish before 8pm, otherwise I won't get my ZZZ's!!

Unfortunately, I'm ill today, so I am not doing proper work, I'm just trying to sort out my logos (using a new design).

__________________
Julia Neal ...because we ♥ admin!
http://julianeal.wordpress.com

Typically, my day goes like this:

*Up at 6:00 a.m.
*Start picking up the house and get daughter out the door for school by 7:00 a.m.
*Son gets up around 7:00 a.m. - 7:15 a.m.
*Get him fed,dressed and out the door for bus pick up by 8:30 a.m. Finish picking up the house and walk the dog, weather permitting.
*By 9:00 a.m. I am checking emails, forums and the news.
*9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. work on client projects.
*12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. - My time.
*1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. - Client work.
*3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Kids get home from school, wrap up client work.
*5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - Dinner, homework etc. etc.
*7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., check email, news, forums, etc, watch favorite tv shows (Thursday's!)
*By 10:00 p.m. SLEEP!

__________________
Doreen R. Patrick, MVA, ACS, CIVA
www.virtualbusinesspartners.net

I don't think I have a typical day but for the most part it plays out like this:

-Snooze the alarm at 4:30 and get by 5:00 a.m.
-Start coffee and check emails until 6:00 and then I wake my son up to get in shower.
-Make lunches and hop in shower and out by 7:00.
-If my day to drive son to school I load the girls in the car and they eat their breakfast while driving him to school; back by 7:20 and hurry the girls up to hopefully catch the bus by 7:45.
-If not my day to drive I wake the girls up at 7:00 feed them breakfast then hop in shower. Get them together and and on bus at 7:45.
-Do morning chores, clean kitchen, wipe bathrooms, vacuum floors and start work by 9:00.
-9-12 either client work or volunteering at the girls school in one of their classes (wed & fri).
-12-2 pick up business mail, run errands, grocery shop, fundraising project for sons school or me/work time depending on what needs to be done.
-2:30 pick up son from bus chit chat about day and go over anything needed for his school or drive him to where ever he needs to go.
-3:30 pick up girls from bus go over their days and get their homework started and snack by 4pm
-4-5 online again with emails, f/u with clients issues if any or just read forums/news
-5ish-8:00 family time. Dinner, reading, walk or bike ride, park, showers and girls in bed by 8.
-8-9 Time with son, playing guitar hero, or some other xbox game, or shooting hoops or lifting weights.
-9-11ish back on the computer doing research, work, or client work. Thurs evening Greys is on and that is the only show I watch.
In bed by midnight most nights.

__________________
Dawn Riley
A Virtual Assistant in Paradise
Our business is about making yours better

What is a typical day?

Wake up around 5:30am to wake the "KID"
Snooze on and off 5:30 - 6:50am (bus should arrive; not taking KID to school)
6:55 - 7:30 power snooze
7:30am - roll out of bed, shower
8:00am - 9am - turn on computer, feed puppy, make coffee & eat something, walk puppy, take clothes to basement 2 b washed
9am - 12p - work on clients
12p - 1pm - make personal calls and talk to hubby, think about dinner
1pm - 3:55pm - work
4pm - 5pm - Relate to the KID (find out his day and what he needs for school)
5pm - 5:30pm (t, w & thurs) answer emails, fold clothes
5:30p - 6pm - drop KID off for progam
6pm - 7:45p - find something to cook quick and easy
7:45 - 8pm - pick KID up from program
8:15p - 9p - spend time with hubby, then work on clients, answer emails, put clothes away

I know I missed something. Basketball season is beginning, don't know what schedule will be at that time. I guess, I will have to get up earlier.

By the way, I watch Greys on Thursdays. I have TIVO so if I miss anything, it's being taped.

Be Well,

Roll out of bed around 7:30am
Shower, Coffee,
-Start coffee and check emails until 6:00 and then I wake my son up to get in shower.
-Make lunches and hop in shower and out by 7:00.
-If my day to drive son to school I load the girls in the car and they eat their breakfast while driving him to school; back by 7:20 and hurry the girls up to hopefully catch the bus by 7:45.
-If not my day to drive I wake the girls up at 7:00 feed them breakfast then hop in shower. Get them together and and on bus at 7:45.
-Do morning chores, clean kitchen, wipe bathrooms, vacuum floors and start work by 9:00.
-9-12 either client work or volunteering at the girls school in one of their classes (wed & fri).
-12-2 pick up business mail, run errands, grocery shop, fundraising project for sons school or me/work time depending on what needs to be done.
-2:30 pick up son from bus chit chat about day and go over anything needed for his school or drive him to where ever he needs to go.
-3:30 pick up girls from bus go over their days and get their homework started and snack by 4pm
-4-5 online again with emails, f/u with clients issues if any or just read forums/news
-5ish-8:00 family time. Dinner, reading, walk or bike ride, park, showers and girls in bed by 8.
-8-9 Time with son, playing guitar hero, or some other xbox game, or shooting hoops or lifting weights.
-9-11ish back on the computer doing research, work, or client work. Thurs evening Greys is on and that is the only show I watch.
In bed by midnight most nights.

__________________
Be Well,
Carla
www.bwellbusinessservices.com
virtually meeting your needs

My work day is split into two because of children. I usually work from 12PM-3PM, depending on my youngest son, then again from 6 until midnight. Sometimes I don't get to bed until 2AM, but this should only be temporary until I really get the business going. Some days I'm totally exhausted trying to balance it all. If the boys didn't wake up at 5:30-6 it might be ok!

As I have a toddler I don't have a typical day. Two days a week I have girls come in to entertain my little guy so I have the whole morning to work on client work and marketing. On my other days I usually have the afternoon free as Logan goes down for his nap. If hubby is home then he usually looks after supper (I am spoiled!). Depending on the deadline on a project I may work in the evening. My son assumes the world revolves around him so unless he is other wise occupied he doesn't let me sit at my desk - it is always 'Num, Story'. I am interested to hear how other moms with young children make out with their schedules.

Tammy Bryce

For me it's clock work

6:00 am get up to get ready for my full time job in the corporate world
6:30 am get the kids up to get ready for school
7:00 am leave the house with the kids to drop them off to school
8:00 am - 5:00 pm work my corporate job (can't wait to get some clients)
5:30 pm work on homework with kids and fix dinner
7:00 pm work on FourSquare Solutions
12 am Bed and get ready to start again.

I DVR a lot to catch things on the weekend. LOL

My day is a lot like Doreen's.
6-6:30 get up, shower, coffee, get kids breakfast and ready to school
7:10 drive girls to bus stop
7:30 home, breakfast with son
8:00 drive son to school
8:15 take dog to the dog park, visit with friends
9:00 back home and ready to work - review to do list, check emails, being client work
12:00ish lunch
12:30 check forums, check email
1:00 client work
4:00 get kids settled doing homework, do client work or check forums
5:00 - 8:00 family time and dinner
8:00 on - relax, do client work if necessary, check forums, blog, take a bath, go to bed, read, whatever...
This is my typical day but if something fun comes up I'm usually able to do it. On busy weeks I will spend one weekend day doing client work or working on my business.

Sally Kuhlman

It's pretty cool getting to see how other VA's spend their days.
My schedule goes pretty much like this, but it's bound to change a little now that I have my first steady retainer client.

Monday through Friday
5:30 am- wake up the teenager (not an easy job) and make coffee
5:45 to 9:00- shower, get dressed, check e-mail and forums
9:00 to12:00- client work time if I have it. If I don't have client work then I work on marketing by blogging, writing articles and press releases, etc. Oh and there is a trip to the coffee pot for a refill in there. Sometimes if I need to run a business related errand, this will be the time I do it.
12:00 to 12:30- lunch time, I physically leave my office and go downstairs to have lunch or I'd end up working through.
12:30 to 5:00- more client work if I have it. If not, I'll go forum and blog hopping, commenting when appropriate on blogs related to my business. This is also when I make change to my website, take online classes, contact former associates and inform them about my new business. Also another trip to the coffee pot.
5:00 to 10:00- this is when I try to set aside time for the family. Of course, since my children are 21 and 17 they aren't always here, so I'll find myself back in the office, surfing the freelance sites or doing some other thing to try to hook that 'ideal client'. I have DVR so this would also be the time when I watch my recorded shows. House, CSI, Ugly Betty and right now Tin Man. I love digital video recorders!
10:00 to 12:00- I try to get myself into bed somewhere in this range.