Like many people, I have an ever growing list of things to do and it seams like I have less and less time available to do them each week. I look into some time management skills and techniques and they’ve helped a lot. However, my list of things to do is still way to long, and I realized my only option was to do less, delegate. As Roger Seip mentions in his Train Your Brain For Success video series, each of us really only does about 3 things that provide value to our company. As the owner of the company that can be a bit of a tough pill to swallow, but he’s right, we simply need to focus on what we’re good at.
When I think of the things that I, and only I, can do to provide value to Giantseed Creative, I come up with things like web design/development work, writing blogs, and consulting with clients. You don’t see anything about accounting or QuickBooks on that list do you? Instead of me spending time balancing the checking account and recording the paid invoices, I gladly hire an administrative professional on an hourly basis to come in and help with those tasks. While it may cost me money up to bring Denise in to do the work, it frees me up to focus my energy on the big 3 activities that I, and only I, can do that provide value to Giantseed Creative (like writing this blog). I’m not saying I turn a blind eye to my business or the accounting, but I delegate those tasks out to someone else and I cut my list of things to do down to size.
If you find yourself staring at an ever growing list of things to do, take some steps to cut the list down to size. Identify the 3 things that you, and only you, can do to provide a real value to your company, and outsource as much as you can of the other tasks. Instead of trying to be Superman or Superwoman, focus on the things that you’re good at and let other people focus on the rest.