How to Use ChatGPT as a Virtual Assistant

How to Use ChatGPT as a Virtual Assistant

I use ChatGPT every day in my business and honestly, I wouldn’t want to run my work-from-home setup without it. As a virtual assistant, I’ve found smart, time-saving ways to use ChatGPT for admin work, IT issues, content creation and even in my personal life. If you're a working mum, freelancer or side hustler, this blog will show you exactly how to use ChatGPT to make your day easier.

ChatGPT Helps Lighten Mum’s Mental Load

As a mum, my brain is always juggling a hundred things—what’s for dinner, is there clean uniform, the latest school emails, booking appointments and everything else that comes with family life. Add client work on top of that and sometimes it can feel like a lot!

That’s why ChatGPT helps so much with my mental load. When I’m writing social media content for a client, I don’t always have the headspace to craft the perfect caption from scratch. Instead, I jot down what I want to say and run it through ChatGPT. It gives me a solid first draft to work from and I can edit and refine it quickly. It takes the pressure off, speeds up the work and means a cost saving for my client too.

I even use ChatGPT to help me write My Work From Home Blog. It doesn’t write the blog for me, these are my ideas and experience, but it helps me refine my thoughts, spot the best keywords and polish up my Pinterest designs. Here are six real-life ways I use it in my client work and personal life.

Example 1: Using ChatGPT for Transcription

A client asked me to convert a heavily designed PDF into a Word document. I’ve tried the free PDF converters and honestly, I don’t rate them, they tend to scramble formatting and create a nightmare to edit. I also don’t pay for this software because it’s not a regular request.

Instead, I took screenshots and asked ChatGPT for transcription. It turned the text into clean, editable copy. The PDF had columns, reference notes and unusual layouts, but ChatGPT handled it all. This saved me hours of faffing and reduced the bill for my client.

Example 2: ChatGPT as a Personal IT Assistant

I kept getting an error every time I opened new Outlook 365 and with no idea what it meant, I pasted the message into ChatGPT. It calmly walked me through a fix. It turned out I was logged in under my personal Windows profile, not my business one.

Once I switched, the issue disappeared. I didn’t have to Google it endlessly or call in paid IT support. This is one of the ways I use ChatGPT as a personal assistant, it feels like having IT support right beside me.

Image description: A screenshot of my Microsoft Outlook 365 error message that says, “We couldn’t find a work or school account with that email address.” This was part of my IT issue I resolved using ChatGPT as a virtual assistant tool.

Example 3: ChatGPT for Blog Writing and Keyword Research

For every blog I write, I start by doing simple keyword research on Google. Then I ask ChatGPT to expand on the list. I pop the data into KeywordsEverywhere.com, then send the results back into ChatGPT to help me decide what to include or avoid.

I’m not the best with analysing data, so having AI help interpret it makes keyword research so much easier and quicker. It’s one of the best productivity tools for remote work and analysing data, especially for people like me who prefer the creative side.

Image description: A graphic showing keywords to avoid for SEO, including “chatgpt,” “chatgpt download,” and “digital assistant,” with notes explaining why they’re too competitive, broad, or not relevant for niche blog content.

Example 4: ChatGPT for Email Sequences in MailerLite

Setting up a MailerLite sequence for a client’s eBook was one of those jobs that could have eaten up hours, especially if I’d relied on YouTube videos to figure it out.

Instead, I used ChatGPT. I explained what I needed and it gave me a clear, step-by-step walkthrough. When I got stuck, I screenshot the issue and asked for the next step. It saved time and allowed me to get on with the client work without watching tutorials or figuring out tech. Another great use of ChatGPT as a personal assistant.

Example 5: ChatGPT for Social Media Content and Canva Design

I love design and use Canva to create pins for Pinterest for this blog. Once I’ve changed the colours and fonts to match my branding, I ask ChatGPT feedback. It tells me if I need to bold the text, adjust spacing, or rebalance the layout.

It’s like having a second pair of eyes to polish my work. Whether you’re designing graphics or writing posts, ChatGPT is one of those handy virtual assistant tools you didn’t know you needed.

Image description: Pinterest pins designed by me to promote My Work From Home Blog. The pins include titles such as “Work from Home as a Virtual Assistant,” “Money Mindset for Virtual Assistants,” and “Can You Work from Home with Kids,” highlighting blog content for women looking to work remotely and manage business life around family.

Example 6: Using ChatGPT for My Skin and Afro Hair

ChatGPT isn’t just useful for work, it’s helped me in surprising ways at home too. I had uncomfortable dry skin, just tight and dry under the surface. I described it in ChatGPT using the exact words “dry skin under the top layer” and it suggested two things, a hyaluronic booster and a vitamin E serum. I also asked it for a suitable price range and it suggested Superdrug and honestly, they worked. My skin feels hydrated and I didn’t have to spend money seeing a dermatologist.

Image description: Superdrug’s Me+ Hyaluronic Booster and Vitamin E Moisture Boost Facial Serum on my countertop. The hyaluronic booster hydrates and plumps the skin by drawing in moisture, while the Vitamin E serum helps lock in hydration, soothe dryness and protect against environmental damage. This affordable skincare duo is part of my daily routine to treat dry skin, as recommended by ChatGPT.

I’ve added the links above in case you’d like to check them out for yourself. Both are affordable and available from Superdrug online — they’ve made a real difference to my dry skin. 

I also had an issue with my afro hair being dry. My afro hair curl pattern had changed and it felt fuzzy, no matter what I did. I uploaded pictures of the products I was using and ChatGPT told me I was overloading my hair with protein. After switching to more moisturising products, my curls bounced back beautifully.

Why You Still Need to Edit ChatGPT’s Work

I never copy and paste ChatGPT’s responses straight into anything. I always start by writing what I want to say, then I use AI to tighten up the structure, tweak the grammar and polish the wording.

Think of it as a digital assistant, not a writer. You still need to use your own voice and double check what it says.

Is ChatGPT Bad for the Environment?

According to ChatGPT, “Not bad, but not impact-free either. Like all AI tools, ChatGPT runs on powerful servers that require a lot of electricity, especially during training. This means it has a carbon footprint, mostly due to the energy used in large data centres.”

That made me think, I can’t change how ChatGPT works, but I can reduce my own waste at home. I’ve now got a compost bin to help reduce food waste at home and I installed a water butt to collect rainwater for the garden, both little steps that help the environment and save money.

(Below are the links to both the compost bin and water butt in case you want to try the same—mine were affordable and easy to set up.) 

Image description: My own garden featuring a black water butt and dark green compost bin, tucked among the plants and shrubs. Both were added as part of my effort to reduce waste and look after the environment, especially since I started using ChatGPT more regularly. They're a simple way I try to balance out my digital footprint while working from home.

Final Thoughts on ChatGPT for Virtual Assistants

There are downsides. It’s not always accurate and you really do need to check it’s results. But when used properly, ChatGPT is one of the best AI tools for virtual assistants—especially if you’re managing a mum’s mental load, juggling home and work and trying to stay on top of everything.

I use the paid version (around £18/month), but the free version is great to get started with. Whether you’re writing blogs, managing admin, or fixing IT headaches, ChatGPT can save you hours and give your brain a break.

Now Read: Best Free Images and Tools for Virtual Assistant Content