Well actually, with my Dad….
My Dad was commuting to London and building his architectural practice on the side, until he felt he could make the ‘leap’ into being a business owner full time.
This meant evenings and weekends doing plenty of admin in addition to the design work he was delivering to clients … and balancing that with a full time job and a family with 3 kids.
I’m sure this will resonate with many of you, whether you have children or not.
Back then, the ‘technical’ support for certain parts of your admin tasks was the typewriter.
I could hear my Dad ‘cursing’ it frequently and declaring the ‘X’ key was there the other day, who’s taken it?? Ridiculous questions of course, but totally born out of frustration, tiredness and the constant realisation that he had many other ‘better things’ he could be doing.
This is where I (gingerly) stepped in and asked my Dad if I could type the letter for him?
He looked at me with a furrowed brow and then smiled – and said ‘go for it’.
A good little pocket money earner for me!
From that task Dad had that ‘lightbulb’ moment that he didn’t HAVE to do these other tasks, he could delegate them – freeing up his time to spend on what he needed (and wanted) to, and it was WORTH the financial outlay to him (and his business) to do that.
Due to child labour laws (and a load of other wholly appropriate reasons) I did not become my Dad’s admin support at the tender age of 11!
However, Dad did get the ongoing support he needed, in place.
It wasn’t long after that he made the ‘jump’ from employment into being a full-time business owner and never looked back.
Of course technology has changed and advanced over the years – but the fundamental need for the right support in place at a certain point in time for your growing business hasn’t.
As a business owner or solopreneur, you can’t do everything all of the time. It will eventually lead to lower productivity and burnout.
The first step is recognising that you need support.
If you’re not sure – try this exercise below and see what you come up with?
To outsource or not to outsource? That is the question!
1. Workload Assessment
List all your current tasks and responsibilities.
Identify tasks that are time consuming, repetitive or you avoid doing.
2. Time Analysis
Estimate the amount of time you spend on each task daily or weekly.
Calculate the total time spend on administrative/operational tasks versus revenue generating activities.
3. Prioritisation
Determine which tasks are essential for your business and which ones can be delegated.
Consider whether you’re spending too much time on administrative tasks than on core business activities.
4. Cost-benefit analysis
Research the average cost of hiring administrative help in your area or using virtual assistants.
Compare the cost of hiring help to the potential benefits, such as increased productivity, time savings and the ability to focus on revenue generated tasks.
5. Financial Assessment
Review your business finances to see if you have the budget to hire administrative support.
Consider the potential return on investment (ROI) of delegating tasks versus handling them yourself.
6. Trial Period
If you’re unsure about committing to hiring help, consider a trial period with a freelance admin assistant or virtual assistant.
Monitor the impact on your productivity, workload and overall business performance during this trial period (or the time you can spend worry-free away from your business)
7. Decision Making
Based on the above analysis, decide whether hiring administrative help is necessary and feasible for your business at this time.
Remember – outsourcing can free up your time to focus on growing your business and generating revenue (or just freeing up your time to spend it how you want to!). However, it’s essential to weigh up the costs and benefits before making a decision.
