Are you an aspiring entrepreneur who would like to be more productive but can’t seem to find the time? If so, you aren’t alone. You may have heard others tout the benefits of outsourcing tasks to help increase productivity, or you may have even considered outsourcing certain aspects of your own workday, but don’t know where to start or what tasks are worth outsourcing.No matter what stage of your entrepreneurial journey you are in, here are 5 tips to help you figure out how to outsource tasks to be more productive.
To be more productive, it’s important to prioritize your tasks. Don’t do everything at once; focus on one thing at a time. This keeps you from jumping from task to task, and ultimately ensures you’re working as efficiently as possible. When first starting out with outsourcing, focus on low-level tasks that don’t require much time or technical skill.
It’s tempting to plunge into a large task and try to get it done as quickly as possible. While that might give you a surge of motivation and confidence at first, you can lose momentum when obstacles crop up or time runs out. Break down large tasks into manageable baby steps so you can make steady progress without becoming overwhelmed.
If you have too much on your plate, delegate tasks that are important but not urgent. By outsourcing something that isn’t top priority, you can concentrate on what’s most pressing. Plus, delegating will free up time so you can work on more important items. Decide what’s worth delegating and reach out to someone who might be able to help with a specific project. For example, if you frequently receive phone calls from people seeking advice or guidance about their jobs or careers, consider hiring a virtual assistant or apprentice who could answer these calls and forward them to an appropriate advisor in your company.
Maybe you hate making phone calls, or maybe you’re on your feet all day at work and don’thave time for exercise. Do what you can to outsource tasks that make you miserable—whether it’s hiring a virtual assistant or hiring a fitness trainer to come over once a week and get your heart pumping. Look for small ways of outsourcing things around your life so that you can use those extra hours doing things that are meaningful to you.
Even if you don’t want to hire someone to do a task for you, you can still outsource it. Forexample, if there’s a process that gets repeated in your company and it’s taking up valuabletime for your employees, consider looking for technology that automates some of these tasks.You may be able to find software or other solutions to automate these tasks from home oranother location where your employee won’t need to be present. With automation solutions likethese, you may save money (you wouldn’t have to pay an employee) and increase productivity(your team members are now free from unnecessary tasks).