For Virtual Assistants, the calendar isn’t just marked by client deadlines — it’s shaped by the ebb and flow of the holiday seasons. During our recent team call, we dug into how summer and Christmas holidays impact our workload, what challenges we face, and the strategies we’ve found to keep things balanced.

What became clear is that while both seasons bring a natural “pause” in business activity, the way they unfold for VAs is completely different. Summer is a slow trickle, Christmas is a full stop. And managing each requires a different mindset.

At The Virtual Colleagues, we work hard… but we also love a bit of fun. This week, I decided to put the spotlight on the team with a classic game: Two Truths and a Lie. Each VA was asked to share three statements about themselves — two completely true, and one that’s total nonsense.

Can you spot the lie?

A poem read by TVC clients and VAs.

Believe it or not, anything you need help with can be outsourced to a virtual assistant—even if it involves Halloween costumes, pet taxis, love notes and pizza! We really have seen it all.

One of the best (and sometimes strangest) parts of being a Virtual Assistant is that no two days are ever the same. Sure, we spend plenty of time buried in inboxes, scheduling calendars, and managing projects. But every so often, a client drops in with a request so unusual, so wonderfully random, that you can’t help but laugh and think: “Well, that wasn’t in the job description!”

Here are just a few of the weird and wonderful emergency requests our team have dealt with recently.

We are delighted to announce that The Virtual Colleagues (TVC) has been shortlisted as a finalist in two prestigious categories at this year’s Small Business Awards (SBA) — Best Home-Based Business and Female Entrepreneur of the Year.

If you’ve ever been stuck in a “what’s the best system for X?” rabbit hole, you’ll know there’s no shortage of options - and no shortage of people telling you their favourite is the best. The trouble is, the “best” system depends entirely on your business, your team, and your way of working.

On a recent TVC team call, we stripped away the hype and talked through what actually works for us and our clients - the CRMs, task managers, social schedulers, and AI tools we’ve tried, tested, loved, and occasionally binned.

Let’s talk holidays.

They’re supposed to be relaxing — a break, a recharge, a chance to ignore your inbox while sipping something cold. But when you run a business or support someone who does, taking time off often feels like a logistical nightmare. What happens to the work? Who’s picking up what? Is anyone actually allowed to switch off?

In one of our recent team calls, we dove head-first into the messy, brilliant, slightly chaotic reality of managing holidays in the VA world — from both sides of the fence.

Here’s what we uncovered.

This week’s team call focused on a practical (and refreshingly honest) exercise: each person brought one real-life work struggle to the table, and together, we brainstormed three possible solutions. Here’s what came up:

Let’s talk about something not often said out loud - when a client is overwhelmed, emotionally unavailable, or quietly drowning in burnout… it impacts us too.

As Virtual Assistants, we pride ourselves on being dependable, flexible, and damn good at adapting to whatever our clients throw our way. But what happens when the thing they’re throwing is radio silence, cancelled meetings, and a big helping of emotional withdrawal?

Obviously we have lots of empathy and complete understanding for anyone experiencing overwhelm. It is something we have all suffered from and it’s a shitty place to be. BUT when the overwhelm manifests in withdrawal, it’s really frustrating for us as their VA who’s only mission is to help - it can mess with our motivation, our mental load, and our income.

Are Business Owners Really Psychos – Or Just Misunderstood?

We’re diving into the unfiltered truth behind the labels that get thrown at business owners: “narcissist,” “reckless,” “control freak” — sound familiar? In this blog, we unpack where those traits actually come from (spoiler: it’s usually survival, not madness), why authenticity feels impossible, and how the pressures of running a business can warp how we’re seen. It’s a brutally honest, slightly sweary, and surprisingly comforting read for anyone who's ever been told they're “too much.”

You’re not broken. You’re just bloody brilliant – and maybe need a bit of help.

Desert Island game TVC style! 🌴 What would you choose??

This week we decided to take a break from our usual in depth topics and discussions on our team call and instead have some fun! Because why not?! We all need a reminder to connect with the people we work with, share stories, and have some silliness. After all, knowing the people we work with makes a huge difference!

The rules were simple –

1) An object of your choosing for entertainment
2) One person to be stranded with (real, fictional, famous, anything!)
3) One app on your phone – BUT can’t be one you can communicate on
4) An escape plan – how you plan to get away

We really enjoyed hearing each others choices, and I would love to hear yours!

At The Virtual Colleagues, we don’t just work through a to-do list — we work with the way you think. Whether you're a list-making machine, an ideas tornado, or someone who needs a voice note to make sense of it all, we meet you where you're at.

This blog dives into how we tailor our VA support to match different learning styles, operating preferences, and neurodiverse needs. From visual thinkers and lone wolves to chaotic creatives and auditory processors — we get it. No judgement. No cookie-cutter systems. Just smart, adaptable support that actually works for you.

Overwhelm: we’ve all felt it, but that doesn’t mean it should be your norm.

In this blog, our VA team share what overwhelm really looks like—from the subtle red flags to the spirals we see all too often. We dive into how it shows up differently for different people, how to spot it early (in yourself and others), and most importantly—what to do about it before it takes over. This is your reminder that you don’t have to reach breaking point before asking for help.

In this blog, the team at The Virtual Colleagues shares exactly what makes a VA–Client relationship work: from trust and communication to clear deadlines and mutual respect. Real quotes, real examples, and real talk from the VAs who’ve seen it all.

Will AI Replace VAs? We Don’t Think So.

In this blog, we explore a big question: what’s the real difference between AI, automation, and the role of a VA?
We break down which tasks are best left to tech, which need a human touch — and why clients still crave connection, not just efficiency.

Read on for real examples, a brilliant cake analogy, and our take on the future of virtual support.

When we lose a day from the working week, expectations don’t shrink – if anything, they grow. Business owners still have to deliver everything they normally would. That means cramming five days into four, without the breathing space.

But it’s more than just time. It’s mental load.

You’re suddenly re-prioritising, rescheduling, reorganising. That headspace you need to lead well? It’s already full – and now you’re being asked to sprint.

Things get dropped. To-do lists grow. Guilt creeps in.