“What Can a Virtual Assistant Really Do in Just 5 Hours a Week? Lead Follow-ups, Tree Surgeons, MOTs, and Payroll - for a Start.”
People ask me this all the time:
“But Chenai... Is five hours a week even worth it? What can one of your assistants actually get done in so little time?”
Well, a lot more than you think!
But only if you’re strategic.
In this day and age, when you combine a really sharp assistant with the right tools and a tight brief, you’re not just getting 5 hours of help - you’re unlocking multipliers.
But let me be blunt: if you’re paying for 5 hours a week and expecting someone to manage your CRM, man your customer service emails, write all your LinkedIn content, read every single email that comes through your inbox, run your diary, and also plan your kid’s birthday party? You’re setting yourself up to fail.
Here’s my advice for someone investing in the 5 hour package:
Pick one or two focus areas. Go deep, not wide. That’s how our smartest clients do it.
🧠 Go deep, not wide. That’s how our smartest clients do it. Don’t waste time asking for surface-level help on 10 different things.
🧠 Pick areas where a smart human - who actually thinks and has empathy, common sense and good judgement - can absolutely outperform AI, templated tools, or doing it all yourself under pressure.
Here are four case studies of the things our razor sharp assistants at askChenai did for real clients this week on our five-hour plan.
📘 Case Study 1: Life Admin, Handled
Client Focus: Personal errands that never get done
Package: 5 hours/week
What her assistant did this week on a 5 hour package:
Monday: Had a catch up call to review her to-do list and picked 3 priorities. Tidied up her personal diary and added some upcoming stuff that came up over the weekend.
Tuesday: Client has to renew her vehicle tax > Booked MOT test after calling 3 preferred garages - fit appointment around existing work meetings
Wednesday: Client has an old tree they've been meaning to have cut down for ages > The assistant phoned around 6 different tree surgeons, got quotes, and booked the best one around existing commitments on a day when the client was working from home
Thursday: Client has an upcoming wedding > Assistant researched flights and booked a child-friendly hotel for the extended family.
Friday: Sent invites, confirmations, and reminders so everyone was on the same page, and sent an end of week email to summarise.
Our client didn’t touch any of it. Her assistant just got it done.
Client quote:
“I’ve been meaning to book that holiday and sort the car for weeks. Now it’s done. I didn’t lift a finger.”
📘 Case Study 2 – ADHD Founder Support
Client Focus: Executive functioning and mental load
Package: 5 hours/week
What her assistant did this week on a 5 hour package:
Monday: Took a brain-dump voice note from the client and turned it into a structured task list with some propsed dtes for gentle reminders.
Tuesday: Held a 90-minute body doubling session to help the client finish payroll
Wednesday: Followed up on key emails that had been avoided for weeks and scheduled 2 meetings.
Thursday: Booked travel + accommodation for an upcoming conference.
Friday: Quick check-in to review what got done and plan for the week ahead
Client quote:
“This is the first week in ages I’ve felt properly on top of things.”
📘 Case Study 3: Social Media Content That Gets Done
Client Focus: Building a consistent Social Media presence
Package: 5 hours/week
KPI: 2-3 strong company posts every week
What his assistant did this week on a 5 hour package:
Monday: Wrote and designed Post #1
Tuesday: Tailored and posted it across Linkedin, Instagram + Facebook & responded to early comments
Wednesday: Wrote and designed Post #2
Thursday: Posted it, tracked performance
Friday: Check-in call with the client. Reviewed analytics, got feedback + set content plan for next week
This isn’t some generic AI auto-posting setup. We use real writers and real designers to create content that fits the client’s tone, their goals, and what actually performs across different platforms.
Client quote:
“I’ve been trying to post consistently for months -this is the first time it’s actually happening without me having to think about it.”
📘 Case Study 4 – Customer Follow-Ups, Sorted
Client Focus: Sales leads and post-sale follow-up
Package: 5 hours/week
What her assistant did this week on a 5-hour package:
Monday: Reviewed the last 2 weeks of incoming enquiries, flagged 5 warm leads that hadn’t been followed up, and drafted personalised follow-up emails.
Tuesday: Sent the follow-ups and tracked responses in a shared sheet. Flagged one lead who had requested a demo but never booked.
Wednesday: Booked 2 calls directly into the founder’s calendar and chased down a missing invoice from a previous client.
Thursday: Set up simple reminders for future follow-ups and cleaned up the client’s inbox by archiving or tagging 200+ emails.
Friday: Wrote a short summary of the week’s progress and suggested a basic CRM flow to keep follow-ups from slipping through in future.
Client quote:
“She recovered money I’d totally forgotten about and reactivated leads I thought had gone cold.”
So, Is 5 Hours a Week Worth It?
If you’re clear, focused, and intentional? Absolutely. And we know how to guide clients to get the most of their assistants.
When you invest in a personal assistant, you're investing in time, which is the ultimate currency and the one thing you can't get back. You're also investing in momentum, and in peace of mind.
Ready to move from chaos to clarity? We have a team of razor sharp virtual assistants who can help with everything from marketing assistance, life admin and ADHD support. To find out more, visit us at 👉 www.askchenai.com