Have you ever found yourself drowning in the day-to-day tasks of running your business? It's a common experience for many entrepreneurs.
And the truth is—you will never scale your business if you can’t scale yourself.
The excitement of starting a new venture often gives way to the overwhelming reality of managing every aspect. But what if there was a way to lighten your load and focus on what truly matters – like growing your business?
The answer lies in delegation.
We’ve always suggested starting delegating for these kinds of tasks:
- Terrible At: Know your weaknesses, and then delegate them.
- Tiny: Small, insignificant tasks that add up.
- Teachable: More difficult tasks that are worth the investment of training someone.
- Tedious: Simple, probably important, but not the best use of your time.
- Time Consuming: Important, complex tasks.
- Time-sensitive: Urgent tasks that pull you away from your big priorities.
Now, let’s talk about which five categories you could be delegating tasks in your life.
1. Administrative
The first administrative tasks that could be handed over are calendar and scheduling. Trying to manage your own calendar can be a headache—especially if you have more than one business. It’s not worth the scheduling mistakes and time wasted.
Email can be another task delegated to an assistant. While it might be difficult to give up control, it's like handing over physical mail. Having an assistant manage your inbox and prioritizing emails during weekly meetings is proven effective.
Travel coordination can be easily delegated as well. By providing clear preferences – such as seat selection and flight times – your assistant can book flights that meet your needs. Using a tool like Loom to explain your preferences can help ensure your assistant understands your expectations.
2. Operational
Client intake is a critical operational task that can be significantly streamlined by delegating responsibilities. By entrusting your team with handling phone calls, emails and form processing, you can free up your time to focus on higher-level tasks.
To ensure a smooth and efficient process, it's essential to have a well-defined, documented checklist that outlines every step involved. By following this checklist consistently, you can set your team and clients up for success and avoid potential bottlenecks or errors.
3. Financial
Delegating financial tasks to a Virtual Assistant can be a strategic move to enhance efficiency and save time. VAs can effectively handle invoicing, bill payments and data entry, freeing up your time to focus on more strategic aspects of your business. While they may not possess the expertise of a full-fledged bookkeeper, they can provide invaluable support for basic financial operations.
To ensure a smooth and secure process, it's essential to establish clear guidelines and agreements with your VA, including proper disclosures to protect your financial information. By delegating these tasks, you can streamline your financial processes, improve accuracy and ultimately enhance your overall business performance.
4. Marketing
It’s no secret marketing is essential for business growth. While you may have marketing expertise, delegating tasks like social media management and content creation can free up your time and improve results.
A Virtual Assistant can handle scheduling posts, create content, and manage your marketing calendar. Consider hiring a specialized Marketing Assistant if you need deeper expertise in a specific area.
5. Personal
Delegating personal tasks to a virtual assistant can be a game-changer for managing your busy life. By entrusting your VA with tasks like scheduling appointments, planning events, and finding gifts, you can free up your time to focus on other important areas of your life.
While some personal tasks may require your direct involvement, a VA can provide invaluable support for managing your daily life and reducing stress. From scheduling doctor's appointments to planning family vacations, a VA can help you stay organized and ensure that important personal matters don't fall through the cracks.
Delegation is a powerful tool that can help you overcome the challenges of running a business. By assigning tasks to others, you can free up your time, reduce stress and focus on what truly matters: growing your business.
Here are your simple first steps to delegation:
1. Decide what they'll do for you.
2. Prepare for them to start.
3. Onboard intentionally.
4. Build a system for ongoing communication.
5. Leverage the right tools.
So don't be afraid to delegate. It might just be the key to taking your business to the next level – and we can help.