Running a small business often feels like spinning plates. You know you shouldn’t be doing everything yourself, but deciding what to hand over can feel overwhelming. “Where do I even start?” is one of the questions I’m asked most.
Here’s a simple framework, based on my own 6 Steps to Effective Delegation, that will help you work out what to keep and what to pass on in around 10 minutes. All you need is a sheet of paper or a spreadsheet with four columns.
Step 1: List it all out
Brain dump all the regular tasks you do daily, weekly or monthly in your business. Don’t overthink it or add too much detail; the task name is enough. If you can, note roughly how long each one takes you. Put everything in a single list in column 1.
Step 2: What do you love?
From that list, pick out the tasks you genuinely enjoy and copy them into column 2, with the time each takes in brackets. These are the things that give you energy, but they can also eat into your time without you noticing.
Step 3: What do you struggle with?
Go back to column 1 and identify the tasks you don’t enjoy, or find yourself putting off. Maybe they’re outside your skillset, or they simply drain your energy. Copy them into column 3, again with the time taken.
Step 4: Be honest about what you shouldn’t be doing
Now look at column 1 again and pick out the tasks that, as the business owner, you really shouldn’t be spending time on. Formatting documents, chasing invoices and scheduling social posts are common examples. Some of these may already be sitting in column 2. Just because you enjoy something doesn’t necessarily mean it should be you doing it. List them in column 4.
Step 5: Build your delegation list
Combine everything in columns 3 and 4. Then take another honest look at column 2, because there may well be tasks in there that take up a lot of time and would be more cost-effective to delegate.
This is your ready-made list of tasks to hand to a VA or support team. Add up the hours. You might be surprised how much time you could free up.
Step 6: Take the first step
Pick one or two tasks from your delegation list and hand them over. You don’t have to do everything at once. Start small, build confidence and enjoy having more time to focus on the work only you can do.
What to Delegate First
If you’re not sure which tasks to start with, look for ones that are:
Regular and repeatable: easy to explain once and hand over for good
Time-consuming but low-risk: where a slight difference in approach won’t cause problems
Already documented, or easy to document: a short checklist makes any handover smoother
Inbox management, diary scheduling, document formatting and meeting minutes are often good first candidates. They’re specific, they recur, and the time saved shows up quickly.
Why This Works
Over the years, I’ve come to realise that the biggest barrier to outsourcing isn’t cost or trust; it’s clarity. Once you see your tasks grouped this way, it becomes obvious what only you can do and what someone else can take on.
Delegation isn’t losing control. It’s gaining back focus, time and energy.
If you’d like help working through your own delegation list, or simply want to explore what support could look like, you’re welcome to book a call. If you’d prefer more time to talk things through in depth, a Power Hour might suit you better.
