Survive the Night Shift as a Virtual Assistant

Survive the Night Shift as a Virtual Assistant

Being a virtual assistant comes with pros and cons. One of the pros is that you get to enjoy the comfort of your home when working. No dealing with heavy traffic and commuting, no eating out for lunch, no need to dress up, no need to deal with the usual 9-5 corporate office workers deal with. You're just at home in your home office, on your couch,or even on your bed earning money. Plus, you have more time in your hands considering you don't have to spend time getting ready or commuting. Sounds good, right? However, I have to be honest. Yes, working at home usually gives you a more flexible hold of your time but there are instances wherein you have to mess up your sleeping schedule and work night shifts especially when you're working with a client from overseas.

You read it right, people! Yes, virtual assistants do have night shifts. When you're new to the industry, you don't usually have the freedom to choose your work schedule unless your client lives in the same timezone or that he or she doesn't really mind you working on your own schedule. This is because most of the clients that hire virtual assistants are based abroad. And it isn't fun. Working on night shifts, trying to be awake and functional at 1 am in morning, is hard because our body is not used to that. But no need to worry! I've experienced working on night shifts and I'm going to give you some tips and tricks on how to survive night shifts that have worked for me.

Night Shift Tip #1: Adjust your sleeping schedule

Transitioning to your new work schedule is challenging. When you get hired, you are told what schedule is and you have to condition your body to prepare and get used to that. I remember my first day of work. I was asked to work at 1 am to 5 am in the morning. It was dreadful. I was a walking zombie after just 4 hours in front of a screen. So, what I did is I slept earlier than my usual sleeping schedule. I charged my phone and went to bed at 9 pm. At first, I found myself just rolling on my bed trying to find a good position to hopefully help me fall asleep. But as time went on, my body got used to it and feel sleepy by 8:30 pm. Then, I would wake up at 12:00 am.

I made sure to follow this schedule consistently so that my body could easily get use to it.

Night Shift Tip #2: Drink more WATER not more COFFEE

Usually when we think of working on night shifts or pulling an all-nighter in general, we think that we need several cups of coffee to survive. But honestly, it's not true. Yes, it will keep you pumped for a few hours but after that high energy, you'll feel extremely exhausted as if you're energy has been drained. I suggest just having a cup of coffee then drink lots of water. I usually keep a liter of water beside me to remind me to drink water. I find that drinking water helps more in keeping me not just awake but focused and functional as well. Plus, it is healthier to drink more water than caffeine.

Night Shift Tip #3: Stay Healthy

Since you're adjusting your body clock, it is important to stay healthy. Your body might not handle these changes so you have to look out for it. That means eating healthier, taking your vitamins, and exercising. It is important to make sure you eat enough healthy food to give you energy. Also, take your vitamins. Vitamins will help you boost your immune system. Also, find time to work out. I know it is hard but it is important to keep your body moving and release those endorphins which will help your body trigger positive feelings and reduce stress thus keeping a healthy mind as well.

Night Shift #4: Make sure to have enough sleep

I know what you'll say. Ceejay, how?! I know, it's ironic. But you have to have enough sleep. As much as possible, have 8 hours of sleep. Aside from the 3-hour nap that I take before my shift, I sleep again for longer hours after my shift. It is important also that everyone in your household knows about your new sleeping schedule. That way, they can understand and give you time to sleep during the day. Having enough sleep gives you more energy thus making you more focused in work and giving more quality output or performance.

Night Shift #5: Have a routine and stick to it

This is just a bonus tip. If you want to survive night shift and still be productive during the day, create a routine. It is important so that you have some sort of structure you can follow. For me, I have a planner wherein I can right my to-do lists. I also utilize my Google Calendar to have some guide on what time I should do these tasks or what time I should sleep. Having a routine keeps me posted on the tasks that I need to accomplish so that I won't rush when deadlines are coming and stress about it.

Having night shifts as a virtual assistant is challenging. In order to survive, you'll need discipline. I personally think that the secret to surviving the night shifts is making sure that you take care of yourself in the process. I believe the reason why most people tend to stay away from night shifts is because it can be stressful to the point of risking health. So, self-care is definitely important to stay focused and productive on your job.