If I had a penny for every time I was asked, “How do I get more done?” or a variation of it, I’d be very wealthy indeed. It’s a question that plagues many business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders, often leaving them stressed and overwhelmed. The answer, however, isn’t about doing more at all. Instead, it’s about doing less—but doing the right things.
The simple, if slightly provocative, truth is this: stop asking how you can do more and start asking how you can do less. The real challenge lies in identifying which tasks are truly yours to tackle and which ones can—and should—be delegated or eliminated entirely. Let’s unpack this idea and explore how you can implement it in your own business to finally take control of your time and productivity.
The Problem with Doing “More”
When you’re trying to grow a business, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that more equals better. More tasks completed, more hours worked, more hats worn—it can feel like progress. But in reality, this approach often leads to burnout and frustration rather than meaningful achievements.
The issue is that many business owners spend their time on tasks that, while necessary, don’t directly drive their business forward. Think bookkeeping, admin, responding to emails, or even routine customer queries. These are all important for running a business, but they don’t require your personal touch. Instead of focusing on high-impact activities, you risk getting bogged down in the minutiae.
What Should You Focus On?
The key to getting more of the right things done lies in identifying what only you can do as a business owner, leader, or entrepreneur. These are the activities that directly influence the success and growth of your business. Here are a few examples:
- Understanding Your Numbers
Your financials are the heartbeat of your business. As the owner, it’s crucial that you understand them inside out. While you don’t need to be the one manually inputting data into spreadsheets or balancing the books, you should have a clear grasp of your cash flow, profitability, and forecasts. This insight allows you to make informed decisions and steer your business strategically.
- Focusing on Your Marketing Strategy
Marketing isn’t just about running ads or posting on social media; it’s about knowing your audience, crafting your message, and positioning your business for growth. Delegating the implementation is fine, but the strategic vision should come from you. It’s your opportunity to shape how your business is perceived and ensure that your efforts are aligned with your goals.
- Becoming a Better Leader
Leadership is one of the most undervalued yet critical aspects of running a business. As a leader, your role is to inspire, guide, and support your team. This doesn’t mean micromanaging; it means setting clear expectations, fostering a positive work culture, and empowering your staff to perform at their best.
- Recruiting the Right People
Few business owners realise just how important recruitment is until it’s too late. Building a team of talented, motivated individuals is a game-changer, but it takes time and effort. As the owner, you need to be involved in defining roles, interviewing candidates, and ensuring that new hires align with your business’s values and goals.
Why Delegation is Your Secret Weapon
Many of the tasks that overwhelm business owners fall into the category of “necessary but not critical.” These include admin, bookkeeping, customer service, and day-to-day operations. While these tasks need to get done, they don’t need to be done by you.
Delegation is the ultimate productivity hack. By entrusting these responsibilities to a skilled team member, virtual assistant, or outsourced professional, you free yourself to focus on the activities that truly matter. Not only does this help you achieve more, but it also ensures that each task is handled by someone who is likely better suited to it.
If you struggle with delegation, start small. Choose one task that consumes a lot of your time but isn’t a good use of your skills. Train someone to take it over, provide clear instructions, and trust them to handle it. Over time, you’ll build confidence in delegating and see just how transformative it can be.
Overcoming the Overwhelm
The hardest part of this shift is changing your mindset. It’s tempting to cling to every aspect of your business, especially if you’re a perfectionist or have built your company from the ground up. However, letting go is a necessary step in scaling and succeeding.
Here are some practical tips to get started:
- Audit Your Time: Keep a log of your daily activities for a week. Highlight the tasks that don’t align with your role as a business owner or leader.
- Prioritise Ruthlessly: Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to sort tasks into categories: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither. Focus on the important, and delegate or eliminate the rest.
- Invest in Systems: Technology can be a lifesaver when it comes to streamlining operations. From automated invoicing to project management tools, there’s a system for almost everything.
- Hire Support: Whether it’s a part-time assistant, a virtual team, or a specialist for specific tasks, don’t hesitate to bring in help. Think of it as an investment in your business—and your sanity.
The Payoff
By focusing on what truly matters and letting go of the rest, you’ll not only get more done but also feel more fulfilled and in control. You’ll have the mental clarity to make strategic decisions, the time to develop as a leader, and the energy to pursue growth opportunities.
Remember, being busy isn’t the same as being productive. Success doesn’t come from doing more; it comes from doing what matters most. So, ask yourself today: what can you stop doing to make room for the activities that will move your business forward?
By redefining your approach to work and focusing on high-impact tasks, you can transform the way you run your business—and rediscover the joy that led you to start it in the first place. After all, isn’t that what it’s all about?
