How to Delegate and Get More Done

How many times have you thought about delegating a task to someone else (either housework or something for your business) only to say, “Oh, it’ll be faster if I just do it myself”?
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But is it really faster? Maybe in the short run, but what about the long run? How much time do those small tasks take up every day? Every week? Every month? How much time could you save overall by taking the time to teach someone how to do it once and then letting them handle it from then onwards?

Small business owners and entrepreneurs seem to think we need to do everything ourselves. Maybe it’s because many of us start out with a very small budget (or no budget at all) so we feel like we have to do everything ourselves. Or maybe it’s because, as entrepreneurs, we’re sometimes made to think we have all the answers.
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But no one has all the answers. And when it comes to many of the small, repetitive tasks you need to do on a regular basis, knowing how to do it yourself doesn’t justify doing it yourself when your time could be better spent in your genius zone – doing the things only you can do.

So, let’s talk about how to delegate effectively so you can spend more time on the tasks that really matter.

Identify the Tasks You Can Delegate

Regardless of your business, there are things that only you can do – whether it’s providing a service to your clients, building your products or coming up with ideas for new products, networking, etc. Identify what those tasks are that only you can do and make a list of all the other tasks and title that list “Delegate.”

Identify Helpers

Once you know what tasks can be delegated, it’s time to identify and/or find the people who can help you. Depending on the tasks, you might already have people in your life who can help.

If you have kids who are old enough to do things like wash dishes and clean the floors, start by putting them to work on those tasks so you can spend more time on your business. As they get older, you can give them tasks to do in your business that fit their skill level. Not only does it take those tasks off your hands and free up your time, but it can also be a great way to bond with your children and give them first-hand knowledge of what it’s like to run a business and do what needs to get done to make sure bills get paid. There’s no better way to raise the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

Some tasks are beyond the capabilities of your children, and might even be beyond your own capabilities. Things like marketing and bookkeeping (not to mention tax preparation) might be better off in the hands of another professional. These are tasks you should delegate to make sure, not only that you save time, but that you can actually grow your business without taking time away from serving your clients. If you don’t already have people in your network who can handle these things for you, I have some suggestions.

Making Room in Your Budget

If you don’t have room in your budget to hire a virtual assistant or a marketing strategist, see if someone would be willing trade products and/or services with you. Depending on the arrangement, it might end up benefiting both of your businesses.

​Delegating certain tasks is just one way you can make sure you spend more time in your genius zone so you can get more done, but that’s just scratching the surface. If you’re ready to take your business to the next level, schedule a free Clarity Call with Strategy Rockstar Michelle Smith to see what else your business needs.