A remote client cannot look over your shoulder to see what you are working on. A shared task list shows them. And when you do the same task every week, a written procedure makes sure it is done the same way every time, even if you are sick or someone else takes over. Remote VA adverts mention task tools and keeping procedures up to date, and both are signs of a professional assistant.
Shared task lists and boards
A task board shows work in columns, for example To do, Doing, Waiting and Done. Each task is a card with a title, a due date, the person responsible and any notes or files. Free options include Trello, Asana, Google Tasks, Microsoft To Do and Microsoft Planner. Even a shared Google Sheet with columns for Task, Owner, Due date and Status works.
Good habits:
- One task, one card, with a clear title that starts with a verb: "Send invoice to Sahel Farms".
- Always add a due date.
- Move cards as you work, so the board always shows the truth.
- Use the Waiting column for tasks blocked by someone else, with a note on who and since when.
Written procedures (SOPs)
SOP stands for standard operating procedure. It is a short document that explains how to do a repeated task, step by step. Examples: how to process a new order, how to prepare the monthly report, how to onboard a new customer.