🔍 How many hours can a virtual assistant save you?
Contents
Executive Summary
Modern business owners and managers are under constant pressure to juggle a growing list of administrative responsibilities. Multiple independent studies reveal that these professionals spend 15–20 hours per week—often more than two full working days—on routine admin work. Delegating these tasks to a skilled virtual assistant (VA) can help reclaim valuable time, increase focus on high-value projects, and improve wellbeing.
Running a business today involves much more than simply delivering your product or service. Behind the scenes, there’s a relentless stream of paperwork, email management, data entry, scheduling, and day-to-day problem-solving that eats into the workweek. For founders, managers, and even established executives, these tasks can become a serious barrier to growth and work-life balance.
Virtual assistants (VAs) offer a flexible, cost-effective solution. But how much time can actually be saved? This report investigates credible, up-to-date statistics to answer that question.
3.2 Methodology
This research report draws only on established business journalism and management consultancy reports—no virtual assistant service providers were included to avoid bias. The focus was on sources from 2023–2025, including survey data, management studies, and published articles from Forbes, Fortune, Deloitte, and McKinsey.
The data was reviewed to extract:
Forbes (Nov 2023):
A major Forbes survey of over 250 entrepreneurs found that business owners spend an average of 36% of their workweek on administrative tasks. With an average workweek of 45.5 hours, this means over 16 hours each week are devoted to jobs like invoicing, ordering supplies, updating spreadsheets, and general paperwork. Notably, more than a third of surveyed entrepreneurs said that admin takes up between a quarter and half of their total working hours.
Fortune (Mar 2023):
A McKinsey-backed Fortune article highlights that middle managers spend nearly one full day per week—about 18% of their time, or 7–8 hours per week—on admin. This includes “paperwork, approvals, and other low-value tasks.” Managers report that this takes time away from strategic planning and leadership.
Fortune/Deloitte (Mar 2025):
A new Fortune article cites Deloitte’s findings that “nearly 40% of a manager’s day is spent dealing with last-minute problems or completing administrative tasks.” On a typical 40-hour workweek, this equates to around 16 hours per week dedicated to admin and firefighting, not to core business activities.
Across all sources, the message is clear:
 Routine administrative work consumes 15–20 hours per week for business owners and managers. When handed over to a capable VA, much of this time can be reclaimed for higher-value activities.
The evidence from multiple credible sources demonstrates a consistent picture:
Business owners and managers can reclaim 15–20 hours per week by delegating admin tasks to a virtual assistant. That’s the equivalent of adding two extra working days to each week, or gaining back 90 full working days per year.
Recommendations:
Ultimately, the return on investment can be substantial—not just in hours, but in stress reduction, job satisfaction, and business growth.
Appendices
Appendix A:Â Example Table - Time Spent on Admin Tasks
Role | Average Weekly Hours on Admin | Source |
Entrepreneur | 16 | Forbes |
Middle Manager | 7–8 | Fortune |
Senior Manager/Exec | 16 | Deloitte |
Appendix B:Â List of Delegable Admin Tasks
References