by Kara | Apr 3, 2023 | Organizational, Outsourcing
Even if you’re a meticulous scheduler, certain appointments can sneak up on you and really throw a wrench in your daily plans.
Luckily, personal assistants like those at Pepper’s Personal Assistants are experienced in coordinating routine lawn maintenance, last-minute dental appointments and everything in between.
In fact, a personal assistant can not only make sure these appointments make it on your calendar but also prepare and send relevant information beforehand. Then, they can follow up on your behalf with any questions or concerns afterward.
[Related: How To Reduce Your Stress in the New Year]
Personal Assistants and What Appointments They Can Handle
A personal assistant can help you organize all sorts of appointments. Here are just a few of those nagging-but-necessary items on your to-do list.
Medical, Dental and Vision
It’s crucial to take care of your health. Of course, with a busy schedule full of work obligations and family activities, your well-being can easily fall by the wayside.
A personal assistant can ensure you keep up with your annual medical, dental and vision exams so that you stay confident in your health.
Hair, Nails and Spa
Whether you’re a working parent or a single entrepreneur, your busy days might not fit moments of relaxation and pampering. Self-care is essential in lowering your stress level and balancing your mental health.
So let a personal assistant keep you feeling (and looking) great by helping plan salon and spa appointments.
Pet Checkups and Grooming
Our furry friends are always there for us, ready to play, snuggle or simply sit by our side in front of the TV after a long day of errand-running. A personal assistant can help you be there for them, too.
With a personal assistant, make sure your pets get the regular bathing, grooming and vet visits they so rightfully deserve. After all, you want to ensure their long-lasting health and happiness as your four-legged BFFs.
[Related: 6 Signs You Need a Personal Assistant]
Vehicle Maintenance
If you’ve ever panicked when your “check engine” light popped on unexpectedly before a road trip, wasn’t prepared for your registration to expire that month or simply needed reminding when an oil change was due, a personal assistant could have come in handy.
While you’re busy living your life, you shouldn’t have to worry about how to reliably get to where you’re going!
Allow your personal assistant to schedule regular car maintenance appointments and make emergency repair appointments. They’ll also make sure you know when you need to replace important documents — like registration and insurance.
House Maintenance
Additionally, a personal assistant can guarantee your home is in tip-top shape at the hands of professionals. They can organize home repair services, yard and landscape maintenance appointments, as well as package delivery and reception.
[Related: A Personal Assistant Can Make Your Summer Vacation Even More Relaxing — Here’s How]
Connect With Pepper’s Personal Assistants Today!
Have we convinced you that a personal assistant can improve your life? Pepper’s Personal Assistants are experienced, skilled and ready to handle the tasks many successful people outsource every day.
Our personal assistants can drastically improve your daily life by giving you back the time you’ve earned.
Maybe you have a few more questions. Contact us today to learn how long-term, recurring household support can increase your happiness. Let’s get started!
Featured image via Unsplash
by Kara | Mar 17, 2023 | Organizational, Outsourcing
Once you hire a personal assistant, you’re probably ready to sit back, relax, and let them work their magic. We don’t blame you! Your personal assistant should be ready to reduce your mental load and clear your plate so that you can find more time for yourself and your family.
However, like any relationship working or otherwise, it’s important to do your part to maintain a good working environment so that your new personal assistant will feel appreciated and want to stay and grow with you in your employment.
Here are just some ways you can keep that successful relationship going and retain your perfect personal assistant.
[Related: The Best Interview Questions for Personal Assistants]
Respect and Trust Your Assistant
We know it can be hard to let someone “take over the reins” and start doing things for you. Especially if you’re used to doing it all yourself.
A little trust goes a long way. Let go a little and have faith in your assistant to do quality work and keep your best interests at heart.
Schedule Regular Check-ins
Regular check-ins are crucial in retaining your personal assistant. This allows both you and your assistant time to ask and answer questions that can help your assistant better do their job.
Check-ins should be scheduled consistently so that they are expected and normal. We recommend weekly 30 minute check-ins for the first month to make sure your assistant is feeling supported.
After a month, 10-15 minutes a week depending on current projects might work just fine. Conduct more formal check-ins at the 30, 60, and 90 day mark, and after that every 6 months should suffice.
One way to structure these one-on-ones is to ask your assistant to come with a win, a challenge, and at least one question to start off.
[Related: Do Successful People Outsource? The Answer Is Yes.]
Give and Receive Feedback
Both parties should be continuously sharing their honest feedback — not just during scheduled check-ins. To build a culture of feedback as a gift rather than a punishment, give both positive and constructive feedback and be open to listening and taking action on any feedback from your personal assistant as well.
Set Up a Permanent Schedule and Establish Business Hours
Having your PA come on the same day and time each week will create consistency in your routine, which is the best way to add balance to your busy life.
Additionally, boundaries are important for a work-life balance. Respect that your assistant has a life outside of work, and establish strict business hours for communication. Let them know that they’re not required to ever respond to any messages outside of those hours unless it’s a true emergency.
Be Transparent and Over Communicate
No relationship will work out in the long-run without communication, so clear communication and transparency from day one is important. Have conversations about your preferences and expectations in order to set up a long and happy partnership with your PA.
Moreover, let them know when they’re doing great, as well as what they can improve on. For example, if you’d prefer they store clean, folded linens in the laundry room cabinets instead of in the bathroom, or if you like each meal prep container labeled in a specific way, don’t hesitate to let them know! If you aren’t sure whether they’re comfortable doing a particular task — such as taking your dog to the dog park — just ask.
Your PA is on your team and wants to do everything possible to make your life easier (even the small stuff).
[Related: Our Advice for Getting Started With Your Personal Assistant]
Set Goals to Maintain Focus
To respect the time of both yourself and your personal assistant, it’s crucial to set goals and work off of lists of things you’d like to see done.
Start a “bucket list” of things you’d like to get off of your plate. You and your PA can prioritize these tasks so that there is always something they can work on each week, and they’ll feel guided and supported.
Going on a vacation? Ask your assistant to come up with some remote projects, organizing tasks, or home improvement projects that they can work on while you’re gone. This way you can enjoy your time away without stress, and they’ll have some direction while you’re out of town.
Use Tech Tools to Your Advantage
Use tech tools to communicate and be productive. One such tool that has been a life-changer for Pepper’s Personal Assistants is Slack, which offers both a desktop and a mobile version. Slack allows clients and PAs to keep track of all communication in one accessible interface. It also features an easy-to-use search function to find past conversations.
Other project management, organization, and communication-oriented apps that we recommend include AnyList, To Do, Trello, and Voxer.
[Related: Personal Assistant Apps — Do They Really Help?]
Show Appreciation
The biggest and perhaps simplest tip on our list for retaining your personal assistant is showing basic appreciation. Genuine recognition of hard work goes a long way — you never know how much a “thank you” can mean to someone.
Start Your Journey and Reclaim Your Time with Pepper’s Personal Assistants
Are you interested in hiring a personal assistant? Pepper’s Personal Assistants can provide you with the help you need, when you need it most. We make it easy to find the perfect personal assistant for your lifestyle and goals.
Learn more about us, or contact us today for a free 30-minute consultation to answer any of your questions.
by Kara | Feb 7, 2023 | Outsourcing
You may have noticed lately that there seems to be an app for everything.
From dating to meal-planning, from horoscopes to public transport information — it can be easy to download hundreds of apps in hopes of making your life a bit easier.
Although some of these apps can be helpful tools for organizing your day-to-day life, we firmly believe they can’t completely replace a personal assistant. They certainly can’t replace a personal assistant who specifically matches you and your unique lifestyle.
[Related: 6 Signs You Need a Personal Assistant]
What Are Personal Assistant Apps?
In sum, personal assistant apps are virtual tools that you can access on a smartphone or mobile device. Their goal is to help organize, schedule and streamline the details that threaten to take time from your day. These apps often promise to boost productivity and relieve stress.
And you’ll find tons of different personal assistant app types:
- Calendar apps
- Flight-finder apps
- Hotel-booking apps
- To-do list apps
- Budgeting apps
What Is a Personal Assistant?
You probably have a pretty good idea of the answer already.
Personal assistants, like our team at Pepper’s, are real people whom you hire to focus on making your life easier. A personal assistant dedicates their time to a person (you), which helps lighten your real-life workload. Plus, a personal assistant pays attention to your specific needs and unique lifestyle rather than general to-do lists.
Personal assistant services might include these, among many others:
- Laundry
- Appointment scheduling
- Grocery shopping
- Meal planning
- Bill paying
- Personal travel information
- Organizing
- Prescription pickups
[Related: Do Successful People Outsource? The Answer Is Yes.]
Too Many Apps Can Be Overwhelming
Apps may be helpful to streamline certain aspects of your busy daily life, but juggling too many of them can be overwhelming. They definitely can’t replace having an actual extra set of hands.
For example, personal assistant apps like scheduling tools connect calendars and arrange meetings so that you can avoid double-booking and know what your day, week or month looks like.
But when you have separate calendars for social events, work obligations, school activities and kids’ stuff, it can be exhausting. That’s especially true if these events change regularly or if you co-parent.
This is why having a personal assistant to combine and streamline schedules is best.
That isn’t to say your personal assistant can’t use the help of a scheduling app, but it’s one (or several) fewer things cluttering your smartphone home screen. And it makes a real difference being able to talk to your personal assistant about your specific scheduling concerns.
The same goes for tasks such as booking a flight or planning a vacation. Endless apps exist for reviewing vacation getaways, booking hotels and organizing budgets — but only you know exactly what you need.
Scrolling through resort reviews or hotel-booking apps to find the perfect fit for your unique vacation vision can steal a major chunk of your day.
Instead, meet with your personal assistant and tell them exactly what you’re looking for. They can come back after using these apps with only the best options for you to choose from.
[Related: Will More Free Time Bring You Joy?]
Benefit of a Real Personal Assistant From Pepper’s
Ultimately, these apps are all helpful — but juggling them can end up making things more stressful than they were before.
Personal assistant apps can’t anticipate something coming up last minute. They also can’t shift and adapt when an obstacle pops up. But your personal assistant can look at an entire project (or the entire week) and see how the different elements of your life should combine to form the big picture.
While it may take several apps to take care of everything, just one designated personal assistant from Pepper’s can provide inimitable, dedicated, in-person support.
Take your time back! Work smarter (not harder), and focus on what makes you feel best.
[Related: Our Advice for Getting Started With Your Personal Assistant]
Contact Pepper’s Personal Assistants Today
Have you decided that a personal assistant can help improve your life?
At Pepper’s Personal Assistants, we’re here for you. Our personal assistants offer long-term, ongoing household support in the Puget Sound Area.
Interested? Contact us today.
Featured image via Pexels
by Kara | Jan 9, 2023 | News
Check out the recent Redfin article we were featured in:
If you’re considering living in Seattle, you might be familiar with the city for its bustling waterfront, lush evergreen forests, and the picturesque San Juan Islands. Seattle is also known as the birthplace of Starbucks, the Space Needle, and the flying fish at Pike Place Market. But these are just a few of the things that set Seattle apart from other major metropolises. So what else is Seattle known for?
From waterfront activities and beautiful green spaces to the incredible art scene and access to nature, you’ll quickly discover countless more reasons why Seattle is such a desirable place to live.
Maybe you’ve just moved and are renting in one of Seattle’s many neighborhoods, perhaps Phinney Ridge or Montlake, and want to get to know your city better. Or, maybe you’re curious about what it’s like to live here before relocating to the Emerald City. Either way, this city has so much to offer.
Read the full article here: What is Seattle Known For? 22 Ways to Get to Know The Emerald City | Redfin
by Kara | Dec 20, 2022 | News
While holiday celebrations begin to fade to memory, the New Year forges on ahead. Reality can hit you like a ton of bricks as the new year (and your calendar) begins to fill with responsibilities and commitments. Even if you enter the New Year feeling refreshed and ready to tackle it all with an optimistic attitude, life stressors have a way of weaseling in.
Feeling stressed out frequently can not only create mental blocks to relaxation and happiness, but it can also trigger an ongoing physical response that can bring about chronic pain and inflammation, as well as a lowered immune system.
Don’t worry! There are plenty of ways to reduce your stress levels this year and enjoy peace and balance.
[Related: Overcoming Stress: A Guide to Better Communication Within Your Home]
Practice Self-Care
Between your professional and personal life, some stress is inevitable, but practicing regular self-care activities can help you avoid burnout and take the edge off in a constructive way. Many quick self-care habits can fit easily into your daily to-do list without taking up more than 30 minutes of your time.
Regardless of the time commitment, effective self-care takes several aspects into consideration: some may be fitness-oriented (such as a cardio routine), while others may aim to boost mindfulness (meditation) or simply provide some pampering (a weekly massage or movie night). Self-care can be practiced solo (reading a book or taking a bath) or with others (a group meal, book club, or yoga class).
Be Mindful of Noise
Is your office next to a busy city street, or are you working from home in the midst of family chaos? Loud noises can trigger your stress response and make it hard to focus and be mindful. Try wearing earplugs or noise-canceling headphones to reduce upsetting noises, or play soothing music to help with your relaxation.
[Related: Burnout: What’s At Stake and What Can You Do About It?]
Take Care of Your Body
We’ve all got one body we must live in — so do what you can to make yours a habitable, comfortable, and healthy place! Physical stressors directly impact your mental and emotional health. Limit these and your general stress level will improve proportionally. Plus, taking care of your body is a crucial part of self-care!
Start by ensuring you’re getting enough sleep. What is considered “enough?” According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults age 18 and over require a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night to function at their peak. Keep in mind this number can vary, with some adults needing up to 9 hours of sleep per night.
Regular exercise is equally as important, especially since physical activity is a great outlet to channel and extinguish existing stress.
Finally, make sure to eat a balanced diet with plenty of nutritious foods, and minimize those that ultimately bring your energy crashing down (excess caffeine or alcohol, sugary drinks, and other empty calories).
Be Intentional With Your Screen Time
We know it’s difficult, but try to limit the time you spend looking at your phone or laptop as much as possible, especially in the hours leading to bedtime. While these devices are often an unavoidable part of life, they can also be a big trigger for stress. Studies have linked excessive smartphone use with increased levels of stress, and it might also be negatively affecting your sleep quality. Try to set a timer or a schedule for when the best time to scroll is.
[Related: 6 Signs You Need a Personal Assistant]
Improve Time Management
Maintaining the foresight to stay organized in your day-to-day life will cut stress drastically. Operating on a schedule can help you improve your efficiency at work and at home, and reduce your stress.
Rather than digging into office tasks at random, start the week with a basic to-do list and experiment to determine the best way to prioritize projects. Instead of running errands haphazardly, create a route that minimizes driving time.
Finally, cut procrastination! Putting off responsibilities only serves to create more stress down the road. Hiring a personal assistant can help you focus on getting the important things done as soon as possible.
Set Realistic Goals and Expectations
When you’re overworked and overtired, it’s easy to feel like you let people down, or aren’t doing your best. Understand that you can’t be 100% successful at everything all at once, give yourself some grace, and be mindful of what you can and cannot control. Setting realistic goals and expectations can help eliminate some of the pressure that you may be putting on yourself.
[Related: How a Personal Assistant Can Help This Holiday Season]
Outsource Responsibility Where Possible
Pepper’s Personal Assistants believes what matters most when outsourcing tasks to a third party is that doing so ultimately saves the client time, and can even increase their happiness. Time saved on generic daily maintenance tasks equals more time to spend on your personal and professional priorities and less panic when examining your to-do list.
Our top tips for deciding which personal tasks to outsource include:
- shifting your focus to the hours you’re saving instead of the specific tasks your PA is doing;
- thinking in terms of daily operations;
- and collaborating with your PA on your personal priorities.
For example, you can save up to an hour of your time when you assign your daily (or weekly) laundry-folding duties to your PA. Instead of stressing over unfinished work projects or missing yoga class while you’re stuck in the laundry room, collaborate with your PA to lead your most efficient (and stress-free!) life.
How Pepper’s Personal Assistants Can Help Reduce Your Stress
At Pepper’s Personal Assistants we offer a great resource for helping you fight back against stress. A personal assistant can help take a lot off your plate. This includes meal planning, paying the bills, running errands, grocery shopping, and more.
Interested? Visit our website to learn more about our services.
We’re ready to help you regain your time, reduce your stress, and increase your happiness. Our personal assistants offer long-term, recurring household support in the Puget Sound Area.
Contact us today to get started.
