Local Business Owner Revolutionizes Work-Life Balance with Personal Assistants
Katy Allen, a mother of three and successful business owner, has found an innovative solution to manage her hectic lifestyle. With her husband frequently away on musical tours and no nearby family support, Allen has turned to hiring personal assistants to handle various household tasks.
Allen relies on these assistants for approximately nine hours per week, considering them her “second me” to tackle a wide range of responsibilities. This approach has significantly enhanced her productivity and allowed her to spend more quality time with her children.
To find suitable help, Allen primarily recruits from a local university, preferring recent graduates or current students for the role. She often uses referrals from previous assistants or advertises for a “second me,” clearly stating that tasks will vary and mirror what she would typically do herself.
Efficiency is key in Allen’s system. She maintains a set schedule for assistants, usually working two to three days a week. Assistants are provided with a key to work independently, and a shared Google Doc serves as a central hub for task management and progress updates. This streamlined process reduces Allen’s workload and facilitates asynchronous communication.
Given the level of access assistants have to her personal life, Allen emphasizes the importance of trust in these working relationships. She shares account information for tasks like online shopping but notes that she hasn’t encountered trust issues. However, she stresses the significance of a good personality fit and is open to ending the arrangement if it’s not mutually beneficial.
For those interested in adopting a similar system, Allen suggests starting small with ad-hoc projects to assess the impact on productivity. She pays her assistants a rate between that of a babysitter and a professional administrative assistant. While acknowledging the cost, Allen finds the investment worthwhile for the increased productivity and mental clarity it provides.
This innovative approach to managing work-life balance could potentially inspire other busy professionals and parents seeking ways to optimize their time and increase efficiency in their daily lives.
