Juggling tasks such as answering calls, editing several papers and containing all the messages in your emails at the same time sound so exhausting and stressful. If the to-do list is way overwhelming for one person to do it all, then it is high time you realize that you simply cannot do it all by yourself. You simply cannot seek out opportunities for growth and expansion if you are glued to your desk all day.

The answer is to find someone online that appears, get you caught up and then disappears until you need them again. This someone must be trustworthy enough for you to rely on and trust with your proprietary information.

How do you start? Where do you start? Before you give an online assistant or virtual assistant the keys to your business, locate your own superhero that will save you from all that workload the wise way.

Search in Google, Yahoo and Bing. Although these search engines will give you millions of results, filter the ones that you want to work with. There's a raft of virtual assistants out there waiting to work with you.

Do your social media homework. For small to medium businesses, Linkedin has the largest network for virtual assistants. To find the best ones, find out where they hang out. You normally would not find the brightest virtual assistants in small sites and forums.

Read testimonials and reviews. Learn the pitfalls of people who have gone before you. Get references and get to know the virtual assistant first. Get feedback on their profiles

Do the math. Costs vary. A certain level of skill set requires you to pay more especially when you need administrative skills from your virtual assistant. Set expectations.

Communication is key. Virtual assistants or online assistants must know how to communicate in English. Language barrier is not supposed to be a problem.

With a little bit of effort, you will eventually find your own virtual assistant and take over your workload thus allowing you to focus more on strategic initiatives for your small business.  

Your phone has been ringing off the hook and we know it is not you who will be answering it soon.