If you devote this kind of time to your working day on a regular basis, you are not spending your time doing what it is that you set out to do.
Doing all of these things is not why you went into business in the first place. If you don't stop doing them - or at least stop doing some of them - you won't have the time to actually do what it is that you truly love and set out to do.
Remember why you started your own business to begin with - it is where your passion and talent lie. Of course there are a number of required tasks associated with running a business, but that doesn't mean that you are the only one who can do them.
This is why you need to outsource - delegate tasks to others so that you can focus on what it is that you do best.
There are two compelling reasons for you to consider outsourcing some of what you do for your own business:
You don't have to spend time doing things that you just loathe
You can spend more of your time doing the things you really excel at.
So, when you think about it, outsourcing is really all about you. Which might seem strange, since it's also mostly about handing things over to other people.
And, thanks to the Internet and technology, the emerging industry of virtual assistants makes it easier for you to outsource your work. There has never been a better time to outsource. People who work from their own home offices are at the ready to provide services for every need on an hourly basis.
Before these virtual assistants came into the work force, options were much more limited. Hiring an assistant meant having to actually have an office, a premises, a desk for that employee to sit behind, and a computer. Very expensive.
The beauty about the opportunities available today is that you can outsource on an hourly basis, paying for people as and when you need them without having to put up a huge capital investment.
When you do decide to hire help, don't just look around and say, "Okay, what's on my plate right now that I want to get off my plate? Where do I find someone who can take it off?" That is reactive and short-term.
I want you to think bigger. Think about the long-term view. Act in accordance with where you're heading as opposed to where you are. It's about your space and your confidence. "My business is growing. I'm going to need help. I'm going to need additional resources. I'm moving in this direction."
Outsourcing is most successful when you recognize your own part in the process. Let assistants handle the things that you don't excel at, that weigh on you. This will allow you to focus on what you love and what you do best.
That's what's going to help you reach your vision of what your business should be. That's what will make you the most money.
