Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Today I want to talk about a simple routine that you can implement in your VA business that will change everything!
Today’s Quote: “Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals.” – Jim Rohn
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Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
Today we’re talking about something that might sound a little fancy, maybe a little corporate … but honestly it’s one of the simplest things you can do to feel more organized, more confident, and more in control in your VA business.
I’m talking about creating a simple weekly CEO routine.
Now before you tune out because you think this means color-coded spreadsheets, complicated planning systems, or waking up at 5am to journal and meditate for two hours… that is not what we’re doing here.
This episode is about creating a realistic weekly rhythm for your business so you stop feeling like you’re constantly behind, constantly reacting, and constantly wondering what you should be focusing on next.
Because a lot of VAs are technically business owners… but they’re operating like overwhelmed employees inside their own business.
I’ve been there. I still go there sometimes. We all do, if we don’t keep things in check. It’s totally okay if this feels like you right now. That’s why we are talking about it today!
And the shift into what we call CEO thinking usually isn’t about doing more. It’s often about doing less. It’s about creating simple habits that help you lead your business instead of chasing it around all week.
So today I want to walk you through a very simple weekly CEO routine that almost any VA can start using immediately, even if you only have a few hours a week to work on your business.
The Problem Most VAs Have
One thing I see all the time is VAs spending 100% of their time inside client work.They’re answering messages. Doing revisions. Trying to keep up with deadlines. Posting content. Sending invoices late. Forgetting to follow up with leads. Avoiding marketing. Feeling scattered.
And that makes sense to them because they think that’s the stuff they get paid for, so it has to take priority. Fair enough.
But then months go by and they wonder why they still don’t have consistent clients, can’t raise their rates, or even grow 1%.
The problem is not usually laziness. And it’s not usually lack of ability. It’s lack of structure. Lack of routine, to be perfectly clear.
When you don’t have a routine for checking in with your business regularly, everything starts to feel urgent. Because it is urgent by the time you look at it. You become reactive instead of intentional. And honestly, this is one of the biggest confidence killers for VAs because when your business feels chaotic, you may even start doubting yourself.
You definitely start feeling behind. You feel disorganized. You feel like everyone else has it together except you. It feels that way, but I promise you it’s not.
Most successful VAs or business owners are not magically more motivated than you. They just have systems and routines that help them stay connected to the bigger picture.
What a CEO Routine Actually Means
Let’s simplify what the CEO routine is.
It’s not about pretending you’re running a massive corporation. It just means you regularly step into the role of decision-maker instead of only being the worker. That’s it!
You stop operating only as the person checking tasks off the list, and you start acting like the person guiding the direction of the business.
It doesn’t matter if your business is tiny. If you are brand new. If you only have one client. It’s essential from the start to create those CEO habits that the 6 figure business owners use.
Because those habits are often the reason that business owner gets to 6 figures to begin with!
The Simple Weekly CEO Routine
I want to give you a very simple framework today.
This is not meant to take hours. Honestly, for many VAs this could be 30 to 60 minutes per week total.
The goal is consistency, not perfection.
Step 1: Have a Weekly CEO Check-In
Once a week, sit down and review your business. This could be Friday afternoon. Sunday evening. Monday morning. Whatever works for your life. Pick a consistent time.
During this check-in, ask yourself a few simple questions: What worked this week? What felt stressful? What actually moved the business forward? What needs attention next week? Where did I waste time or energy? What am I avoiding?
This is where you stop running on autopilot. When you never pause to evaluate what’s happening, you keep repeating the same patterns over and over again.
Before I put my CEO routine in place, I used to pile things up, thinking that I would find some time to get to them. Reporting, follow up, filing or time management improvements. You name it, I’ve piled it up!
Instead it makes so much more sense to actually go through this simple process to analyze the week that is just ending – so you can make solid decisions to handle what needs handling in the coming week. It’s the way you will start to move forward.
Step 2: Plan Your Top Priorities
One of the biggest mistakes VAs make is putting 37 things on their to-do list and then feeling like a failure when they don’t finish them all. Your business does not need more random tasks. It needs focused priorities.
Every week, identify: One marketing priority. One client priority. One admin priority. That’s it.
For example:
Marketing priority: Reach out to 5 potential clients.
Client priority: Finish onboarding process improvements.
Admin priority: Send invoices and organize contracts.
Simple. The point is to stop treating everything like it matters equally because it doesn’t. And when you start choosing priorities intentionally, you feel much more in control.
Step 3: Schedule CEO Time Before the Week Gets Busy
This is really important. Like I said, many VAs say they’ll work on marketing, visibility, or growth “when they have time.” They bump their own admin or marketing time in favour of client work. But that magical extra time often never comes along. And so we don’t do what we need to do.
Instead, make your business the priority and schedule your CEO activities first. Things like: marketing, networking, following up with leads, content creation, improving systems, planning new services, financial review, etc. These are the things that will grow your business.
They are also the things that VAs avoid like the plague because no client is waiting for them. Client work feels urgent. CEO work feels optional, or like a bonus. If we can do it we will. Right?
Until six months pass and your pipeline is empty. Even one or two dedicated CEO blocks per week can make a huge difference. Trust me on this one! It’s so easy to fit things in every week – every day. And it makes all the difference.
Step 4: Review Your Numbers
I know some people hate this part. But avoiding your numbers creates more stress, not less. You don’t need complicated spreadsheets. You just need awareness.
Every week, check: How much money came in, outstanding invoices, potential leads, discovery calls booked, expenses, upcoming payments, and so on. This helps you make decisions from facts instead of panic. Running a business means receiving money and paying money out, and you have to manage it well to be successful.
If you are avoiding it, then your business will not stay in business. And there’s nothing more fun that seeing that the revenue is more than the expenses – and that takes your time and attention. So let’s get you there!
Step 5: Decide What You’re Saying No To
Deciding what you are going to say NO to is one of the most CEO-level habits you can build.
I tell you all the time that decisions are easy – if you are stuck on something then you need to make a decision to change it.
Every week, ask: What do I need to stop doing? Maybe you’re over-customizing proposals. Maybe you’re saying yes to underpaid tasks. Maybe you’re spending hours tweaking Canva graphics. Maybe you’re constantly checking email all day.
You can’t look at emails all day and expect something to magically change. You have to find the best ways to maximize your time, do productive outreach and networking, and streamline what you are doing that is not serving you.
Growth often comes from subtraction before addition.
Step 6: End the Week Properly
Most VAs finish the week feeling mentally messy. Tabs open. Tasks unfinished. Brain overloaded.
We might think ‘I’ll catch up on this or that this weekend.’ So we leave things unfinished. But you know what’s better?
Try creating a simple shutdown routine before ending your week. Wrap up loose ends. Write next week’s priorities. Clear your workspace. Review your calendar. Close your laptop intentionally.
This helps your brain stop carrying your business around 24/7. And it can make a huge difference in reducing overwhelm.
I highly recommend the end of week shutdown routine!
Why This Matters More Than You Think
This routine is not about becoming more productive just for the sake of productivity. It’s about building trust with yourself.
When you regularly check in with your business… When you make decisions intentionally… When you stop avoiding things… When you create structure… you feel more capable. And confidence is often built through consistency, not motivation.
The VAs who seem calm and organized are not necessarily naturally better at business. Many of them simply have routines that support them. That can be you. I promise!
Start Smaller Than You Think
If this all sounds overwhelming, start tiny!
Your first CEO routine could literally be: 15 minutes every Friday. Review your calendar. Check your numbers. Choose next week’s priorities. Start with something small and then add to it as you get more comfortable.
You don’t need a fancy planner. You don’t need complicated software. You don’t need to copy some one else’s business routine from Instagram. You just need something that will work for you, so that you will actually stick with it.
No need for a complicated system that you are going to abandon two weeks in. Simple is best – whatever works for you is best!
If your business has been feeling reactive, scattered, or overwhelming lately, I want you to remember this: You probably do not need to work harder. You probably need a better rhythm.
When things feel hard or overwhelming, it’s often that we are out of that rhythm, that routine.
Creating a simple weekly CEO routine is one of the easiest ways I can advise you to start feeling more confident, more intentional, and more in control of your business.
Do You Need Help?
This week, I want you to choose one small CEO habit and put it into your calendar. Not someday. Not when things calm down. This week. Today.
Your business will grow when you lead it consistently.
If you need help, you know where to find me: YourVAMentor.com/links
It’s the only reason I’m here at all – to help you become a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
I’d love to help you get a good routine in place that works – and we can do that with a quick win private coaching call. I am having a summer special on single coaching calls, check it out on my website.
I’m going to leave it off for here this week but let’s circle back to today’s quote: “Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals.” Am I right? Is Jim Rohn right?
This is fundamental stuff. It’s super simple. You can do it. And if you do it, I promise you. you will see the results very quickly. You’ll see what is working well, what you need to fix, and you will be on the way to that success you dream of with every step.
Thanks so much for tuning in to this week’s episode. I’ll see you next time!