How Virtual Assistants Can Help with Personal Tasks

In today’s hectic world, virtual assistants (VAs) have become indispensable for busy entrepreneurs and executives. A VA – sometimes called a virtual executive assistant – is a real person working remotely to handle tasks that keep you tied up in busywork. The Ultimate Guide to Hiring Virtual Assistants in 2025. By leveraging remote staffing models, you can delegate everything from calendar invites and travel bookings to bills and gift shopping. Leaders often find that offloading these “admin” chores restores hours to their week and reduces stress Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant, Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant.

Virtual assistants combine technology with the human touch. Today’s AI-powered virtual assistants (like Alexa, Siri, or specialized scheduling bots) can automate routine reminders, answer simple questions, and even draft email responses. AI and Administrative Work: Enhancing Productivity,  AI and Administrative Work: Enhancing Productivity. But they work best in partnership with a human VA who brings critical thinking, context, and a “human premium” – the judgment and creativity that AI lacks. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant, Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants. As MySigrid co-founder Paul Ostergaard puts it, the best results come from “leveraging smart technology while still having a human assistant who can think critically, anticipate needs, and adapt to your style” Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant. In short, today’s top assistants use AI tools as one more resource, but the real magic is in having a dedicated person on your team.

Delegating Personal and Family Tasks

As a busy founder or executive, virtually any task that can be done by phone or online is fair game to outsource. Here are some personal tasks and errands that VAs routinely handle:

• Email and Calendar Management: A VA can filter your inbox, draft replies, and schedule appointments, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant, MySigrid | Virtual Executive Assistant. They send you alerts for important dates and even coordinate meeting logistics across time zones.
  
  
• Travel Planning & Bookings: From complex business trips to family vacations, VAs will book flights, hotels, rental cars, build detailed itineraries, and manage loyalty programs or visas. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant, MySigrid | Virtual Executive Assistant. They often find better deals and flag any travel disruptions.
  
  
• Personal Errands: Need a birthday gift mailed overseas or a dinner reservation made? A virtual assistant can purchase and send gifts, make restaurant or spa bookings, and arrange car services or household repairs. One client noted her VA can handle “personal logistics – from sending gifts and paying bills to booking restaurant reservations.” Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant, freeing up evenings and weekends.
  
  
• Subscription & Bill Management: Subscriptions, memberships, utility bills… a VA tracks renewal dates, makes payments or cancellations, and keeps you on budget so you don’t lose money or miss deadlines.
  
  
• Household Scheduling: Tasks like scheduling a plumber, HVAC maintenance, or landscaper can be passed on. For example, MySigrid clients commonly delegate “scheduling doctor’s appointments, planning events, or managing household maintenance.” Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant, letting them focus on work or family time instead.
  
  
• Family Logistics: Executive assistants often handle kids’ school calendars, tutor schedules, or family travel arrangements. For busy parents, having someone coordinate carpool routes, family trip details, or even pet-sitting makes life far easier.
  
  

Each task, while low value for your career, can consume large blocks of time. By outsourcing administrative support, you reclaim those hours for strategy and creativity. Studies find that entrepreneurs spend about 36% of their week on administrative busywork (invoicing, scheduling, data entry, etc.) Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant – work that doesn’t directly grow the business. Leaders who delegate these tasks (the so-called “expert delegators”) consistently see higher revenue and profit growth than those who don’t (Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant) (The Big Price Of Small Tasks: How Entrepreneurs May Be Unwittingly Keeping Their Businesses Small, Hurting Bottom Lines And Compromising Wellbeing | Time etc). In other words, handing off routine chores isn’t a loss – it’s an investment in your productivity and peace of mind.

 Image: A dedicated virtual assistant at work helps a busy professional manage schedules, travel plans, and more (source: Pexels)

Time Management and Work-Life Balance

Good time management for executives isn’t about squeezing more into a day; it’s about focus and leverage. Top CEOs spend only a sliver of their time on routine tasks – one study found the average CEO devotes just 11% of their time to administrative chores. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant – and they delegate the rest to assistants. The same principle applies to entrepreneurs and executives without a support staff: your highest-value work requires your full attention Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant, Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant. Why spend an hour sorting emails or booking travel when someone else can do it for a fraction of your cost?

A VA is essentially a force multiplier. When a founder or executive passes tasks like inbox triage and itinerary planning to a capable assistant, they immediately free up time for high-impact activities (product development, investor meetings, board strategy, etc.). As leadership coach Cameron Herold quipped, “If you don’t have an assistant, you are one!” Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant. In practice, this means you end your workday on time, avoid the overwhelm of weekend chores, and enjoy greater clarity. MySigrid clients report feeling “more present” both at work and at home once a VA takes over life’s minutiae. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant. One busy entrepreneur put it simply: having a VA is “a luxury I now enjoy” – but it’s a luxury that pays off in productivity and well-being. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant.

Actionable Tip: To start delegating, make a list of every task you do that doesn’t require your unique expertise (from the morning coffee run to quarterly report formatting). Then decide which can be handed off to an assistant. You’ll quickly find it’s a long list! Begin with things you procrastinate or dislike and move on from there Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant.

AI-Powered Assistants vs. Human Support

Technology has given rise to many AI “assistants” that can handle simple tasks. Tools like Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant can set reminders, answer general questions, and even make calls or send messages by voice AI and Administrative Work: Enhancing Productivity. Specialized AI scheduling tools (e.g., calendaring apps, meeting bots) can also save time by auto-finding open slots or routing calls. These AI tools accelerate routine work – for example, automating email sorting or drafting responses can clear your inbox in minutes. AI and Administrative Work: Enhancing Productivity,  AI and Administrative Work: Enhancing Productivity. Crucially, these systems are designed to assist, not replace, the assistant. As Office Dynamics notes, AI is here to help administrative pros work smarter by taking over monotonous tasks. AI and Administrative Work: Enhancing Productivity. AI and Administrative Work: Enhancing Productivity.

However, AI still lacks human judgment. This is where the “human premium” comes in. A human VA understands context, reads between the lines, and can adapt on the fly to your preferences and business goals.  Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants. For example, an AI might book your flight, but a human assistant will proactively change plans if a meeting gets delayed or notice that you prefer window seats. A digital scheduler won’t say, “I noticed you hate airport layovers after 9 pm, so here’s a better option,” but a savvy VA will. In practice, many high-level assistants use AI tools themselves, like using an AI draft for a response or a scheduling tool, and then refining that work with their expertise. MySigrid calls this a “human premium” approach: we blend top talent with advanced tech, ensuring quality and personalization.  Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant.

In short, think of it as a spectrum: simple, repetitive tasks can be automated by software, while nuanced tasks – those requiring negotiation, creativity, or trust – are best left to people. A well-managed VA ecosystem taps into both. For instance, your VA might use an AI transcription app to quickly get meeting notes, but then they’ll follow up personally to clarify action items. Or they may set up recurring payments automatically with your permission, but keep an eye on which subscriptions are still useful to you. This synergy of AI tools and human assistants maximizes efficiency without losing the personal touch. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant, AI and Administrative Work: Enhancing Productivity.

Real-World Executive Examples

To see how this works in practice, consider some common scenarios: A tech founder on the move might have a VA who handles all flight and hotel bookings for a multi-city startup tour, sometimes even anticipating visa or lodging needs before the founder does. Global executives often rely on assistants to schedule their calendars around the clock: one VA we know blocks off sleep time, schedules meetings in convenient local times, and handles rescheduling with international partners. Another busy professional told us her VA “frees up a lot of my time so that I can focus on more productive work,” noting she “loves the consistency” the service provides. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant.

Even outside work, VAs add value: one CEO uses his assistant to send birthday flowers to clients and remember family anniversaries, while another lets a VA manage their home-renovation appointments and contractor payments. The net effect is a clearer mind and more time. MySigrid’s clients describe feeling like they can relax off the clock – at work they’re the “sharp strategic leader,” and at home they’re not “glued to [their] phone sorting out schedules” Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant).

Delegation Tips: How to Get Started

Effective delegation is part art, part process. Here are some tips gleaned from productivity experts and veteran entrepreneurs:

• Start with a task inventory: List daily and weekly tasks you do. Which ones are routine or low-skill? Those go on the delegation list immediately Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant) (Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant.
  
  
• Document your processes: For each task, write down how you want it done (which flight search engines you prefer, email templates, billing info, etc.). Clear instructions help a new assistant ramp up quickly. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant.
  
  
• Communicate expectations clearly: From the outset, outline the scope, deadlines, and communication style you expect. Most professional VAs appreciate knowing exactly what “good” looks like and will keep you updated if you do. Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants.
  
  
• Use reputable services: If you’re nervous about security or quality, hire through a managed service or agency that vets its assistants. Providers like MySigrid match you with tested executive assistants and even give you a customer success manager as backup. Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants. This adds layers of oversight and consistency.
  
  
• Start small (pilot or trial): Begin by outsourcing one or two tasks. See how it goes, then expand. Many companies recommend a short trial project or a month to ensure a fit. You’ll likely find that a good VA will be eager to prove themselves by being responsive and adaptable. Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants.
  
  
• Trust but verify: Initially, check the work your VA does to catch any quirks. After a week or two, you’ll notice they get the hang of your preferences. Give feedback, then gradually let go of control. Soon they’ll handle tasks independently.
  
  

By following these steps, you’ll delegate more effectively and enjoy the benefits sooner. Remember: even corporate chiefs set up regular check-ins with their assistants. A quick daily email or chat update can keep you informed without you doing the nitty-gritty yourself. Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants. Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants.

Virtual Assistant vs. Full-Time Employee: Cost and Flexibility

A key advantage of virtual assistants is cost-effectiveness. Unlike a full-time employee, a VA is typically an independent contractor or part-time hire. You pay only for the hours or services you need – no salaries, benefits, or office rent. Businesses often save 30–50% on operational costs by using VAs instead of in-house staff. Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants. Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants. For example, a skilled bilingual VA in Latin America might charge around $1,800–$2,300 per month (roughly $21–27K a year) – less than one-third what an on-site U.S. assistant would cost in places like New York. Maximize Efficiency and Cut Costs with Smart Remote Staffing Solutions.

Flexibility is another big plus. Need help, just 10 hours a month for personal tasks? Done. Have a big product launch coming up and want extra support? Scale up with more hours or extra assistants without hiring new staff. Virtual assistants work from anywhere, so you can even plug in evening or weekend coverage by tapping different time zones. This remote staffing agility means you can respond to a spike in workload quickly without long hiring processes. Virtual Assistant vs. Hiring a Full-Time Employee: Which Is Right for Your Business?. Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants.

Of course, there are trade-offs. A full-time employee brings deep loyalty, intimate company knowledge, and guaranteed availability during work hours. But for many small to midsize teams, the pros of a VA outweigh these factors. Professional virtual assistant services are structured to mitigate these issues – for example, MySigrid provides a dedicated backup team and ongoing training to ensure reliability.  Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants. Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants. In short, a well-managed VA can match or even exceed the effectiveness of a traditional hire, while offering significant cost savings and scheduling flexibility Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants.

Choosing and Hiring a Virtual Assistant

Once you’re convinced, how do you find the right assistant? You have options:

• Freelance marketplaces (Direct Hire): Sites like Upwork or Fiverr let you post tasks and interview VAs directly. Hourly rates can start low ($2–$10/hr offshore), but you’ll need to vet candidates, onboard them, and manage quality yourself. The Ultimate Guide to Hiring Virtual Assistants in 2025. This path offers control and potentially lower cost, but at the expense of more hands-on work on your part.
  
  
• VA Agencies (Contract Hire): Agencies or platforms specialize in virtual assistant services. They typically charge a monthly fee or package (often $25–$30/hr or more) but handle vetting and basic training. You gain convenience and some assurance (especially with U.S.-based agencies that do compliance for you). The Ultimate Guide to Hiring Virtual Assistants in 2025. However, you may lose a bit of flexibility in choosing hours, and if the assistant isn’t a fit, you may have to switch.
  
  
• Managed Services (Dedicated VA): This is a “best of both worlds” model. Companies like MySigrid match you with a dedicated, vetted assistant and provide ongoing support (backup assistants, training, quality checks). It functions like having an employee, but you still get the overhead savings. MySigrid’s virtual executive assistant plans are subscription-based and scale with your needs, so you can start small and grow. MySigrid | Virtual Executive Assistant. MySigrid | Virtual Executive Assistant.
  
  

Whichever route you choose, look for someone (or a service) that understands your industry and culture. Check reviews or referrals. And remember, the best virtual assistant services will ask you the right questions up front (about your priorities, tools, and expectations) and will focus on a good match, not just the cheapest rate.

Real Benefits for Busy Professionals

In summary, delegating personal and administrative tasks to a virtual assistant offers concrete benefits for entrepreneurs and executives:

• More Productive Hours: With routine tasks off your plate, you can focus on strategy, growth, or high-priority meetings. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant. Beyond Savings: True Benefits of a Virtual Assistant. Studies show teams using VAs see productivity jumps (20–30% gains) when busywork is outsourced. Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants.
  
  
• Reduced Mental Load: Constant multitasking drains decision-making capacity. A VA handles follow-ups and details, so you stay mentally fresh. Many clients report sleeping better and feeling less “drowned in tasks” once they delegate. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant.  Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant.
  
  
• Improved Work-Life Balance: Being able to stop working at a reasonable hour (knowing your tasks are handled) means real downtime. You’ll spend less time sorting email and more time with family or hobbies. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant. Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant.
  
  
• Scalability: As your business grows, you can easily adjust support levels. A VA service lets you scale staffing up or down without the usual HR headaches. Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants. Virtual Assistant vs. Hiring a Full-Time Employee: Which Is Right for Your Business?.
  
  
• Access to Talent: Remote assistants can have niche skills (like fluent Mandarin or graphic design) that might be hard to hire locally. You tap a global talent pool. Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants.  Debunking Common Myths About Virtual Assistants.
  
  
• Cost Savings: No benefits, office space, or equipment costs. Many entrepreneurs find that a VA pays for itself simply by allowing them to focus on revenue-generating work. Beyond Savings: True Benefits of a Virtual Assistant. Maximize Efficiency and Cut Costs with Smart Remote Staffing Solutions.
  
  

In short, a skilled virtual assistant is a force multiplier and a sanity-saver. They do the tasks you shouldn’t be doing – and enable you to be the executive or founder who focuses on vision and value. As one MySigrid client put it, by offloading day-to-day work, she was able to “focus on more productive work,” knowing “nothing important would fall through the cracks.” Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Virtual Assistant.

Ready to delegate and transform your schedule? Visit MySigrid to learn about premium virtual assistant services for entrepreneurs and executives. You can also schedule a consultation to discuss your needs and find the right VA match. And for thought leadership on executive support, connect with Paul H. Østergaard, co-founder of MySigrid, on LinkedIn.