As a business owner, you get used to doing everything, your way. Maybe you’ve convinced yourself that nobody can do as good a job as you anyway. Or maybe it’s that you struggle to ask for help. But when the business is growing and you’re endlessly spinning plates, you can end up exhausted. You end up not enjoying what you do and you forget why you’re doing it in the first place. So what’s the solution?
Delegation.
Delegating to a VA helps you avoid burnout and helps your business thrive.
Why Delegation?
Delegating tasks to a VA allows you to choose what you focus your energy on. You get to hand over the tasks that take up a lot of your time and energy. That means you can focus on the things that really matter and finally get that work-life balance you’ve dreamed of!
Why Business Owners Struggled to Delegate
When you are so used to wearing all the hats and doing things your way, delegation can feel too much like letting go. Delegating tasks to someone else can feel like you’re giving up control. Then there’s knowing how to delegate effectively and the question of which tasks do you give to which person.
It can all feel like a minefield, but it doesn’t have to be.
Ready to Delegate to a VA?
I know that delegating to a VA can seem scary. You might ask yourself;
How do I choose the right person?
Will they be able to do what I want them to?
And I’m sure you’ll have many more questions. That’s why I’ve put together a bit of a handy guide to how to seamlessly delegate to a VA.
Be Willing to Delegate
This may sound obvious, but it’s the first step to successful delegation. Admit that you can’t do everything and think about the benefits you could get from working with a VA.
If you feel afraid of letting go, don’t be. Recognising your strengths and weaknesses as a business owner is important. In the beginning, when you’re getting the business off the ground, you’ll be willing to be working all day and catching up on emails at night. However, this just isn’t sustainable.
Eventually, you’ll need help if you want your business to thrive. Accept that and you and your business will benefit.
Decide What You Want to Delegate
Look at your current workload and to-do list. Some tasks only you can genuinely do, so ringfence those. Now, look at the rest. Where do you need support and what do you feel comfortable delegating? Which tasks are you not so good at and which take up a disproportionate amount of your time?
Choose a VA with the Right Skillset
Think about the kind of person you’d like to work with and what kind of skills would meet your business needs. Do you need someone who has specialist skills in social media management? Do you need someone with the technical know-how to do website tasks? Or do you need a generalist who can help you with a wide range of things?
Communicate with your VA to Get the Best Out of Them
Once you’ve found your VA, start as you mean to go on. Work with them to establish:
- What tasks you need help with;
- When you need them done by;
- Boundaries around responsibilities;
- What they need to know about key areas of the business software you use, login details for your website, social media accounts, and email accounts etc.
This will get things off on the right foot and help you get the best out of your VA’s skills and experience. It will also prevent misunderstandings and put you at ease in the long run, knowing that things are getting done. Regular communication with your VA is also essential to keep things on track and check in on the progress of any work being done.
Be Patient
Everyone works differently and has their own processes, so don’t worry if there are teething problems right at the beginning. Delegation is a big step. Just trust that tasks are being taken care of and this means you can focus on the things that are going to help your business thrive.
Delegation Takes Your Business to the Next Level
An essential part of being a business owner is knowing when you need help. If you’re working around the clock but you feel no further forward, you need to consider delegating. While you’re getting your business off the ground, you’ll be happy to work all the hours God sends. But if you want your business to grow, you need support.
Over the years, I’ve seen many business owners trying to do everything themselves. The dreams about the freedom it would bring them fade into distant memories after a while. The reality is that because they insist on doing everything themselves, the business can’t run without them. That means they always have to be there.
They end up working on holiday (if they take a break at all). They miss out on family time because they are on their laptop or phone in the evenings. Then comes burnout. The passion is gone and they’ve lost sight of where they want to be.
Delegating to a VA can help you avoid all of this.
Want to decide where you spend your time and energy?
Want some work-life balance back?
How would it feel to be able to get off that treadmill of overwhelm and have a business that thrives?
It’s all possible with the help of a VA.
Let’s chat to see how my VA services can save your sanity and help your business thrive.