How often do you review your to-do list and feel frustrated that you haven’t completed half of it? Chances are, you’re bogged down with tasks that could be delegated to someone else. If you’re like many real estate professionals and small business owners, you find delegation a tough skill to master. After all, it’s hard to trust that others will do things as well as you can, or the way you like them done. However, if you want to lead a thriving business, it’s essential to delegate some tasks, particularly those that are important, but may not be the big money-making tasks in your business. If you’re on the fence about delegation, here are three reasons to start:
1. You feel overwhelmed.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when it seems as though your list of things to do keeps growing and growing. Instead of focusing on the task at hand, you begin to worry about the tasks you haven’t started yet. This not only makes you stressed out, but it also saps your productivity as well. Delegating allows you to reduce your to-do list to the most important tasks that drive your business.
Elizabeth Lucchesi, a real estate professional in Alexandria, Virginia began to feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of running her business as it continued to grow. Her Coach encouraged her to delegate some of her tasks. Hiring staff has helped her business thrive. “Stop trying to do it all yourself. You’re not an island. You need the resources around you,” says Lucchesi. “Figure out what’s the $5-an-hour job? What’s the $1,000-an-hour hour job? Understand you can give that away if you have the correct job description for each and every one of your associates.”
2. There are tasks that you’re not good at.
Although you may have heard that you should work on your weaknesses and turn them into strengths, in reality, doing so only takes away from the time you could be spending with clients and building your business. Let’s face it, if math isn’t your forte, why not outsource your taxes to someone for whom it’s a strength? Or, if marketing your business on social media is taking up too much of your time, hire an expert to take over the marketing aspects of it. That way, you’re free to post when it strikes your fancy and to add a personal touch, but the daily or weekly posts are taken care of without eating into your schedule.
3. You want more time to focus on your clients.
Many real estate professionals got into the industry to help people realize their dreams of homeownership. However, it’s hard to help your clients achieve their dreams if you’re stuck at the office taking care of time-consuming tasks. Delegating these tasks to an assistant frees you to spend more time doing the things that drive your business: serving your clients and generating those all-important leads.
Heather Roxburgh, a real estate professional from Salt Lake City, Utah, hired help at the behest of her Coach. “She encouraged me to hire a full-time marketing coordinator that can help me continue to sell homes and work directly with my clients, but have that great marketing piece,” she says. “My clients know exactly what to expect from me. They know that they can call on me and I’m going to follow through at all times.”
Find balance in your life!
Delegating is not only good for your business; it’s also good for your state of mind! Hiring help and outsourcing some of your tasks is sure to reduce the stress and frustration you feel when you’re overwhelmed. You’ll no longer have to toil away on time-consuming tasks that shift your focus away from driving your business forward. You’ll have more time to spend with your clients as well as more time to spend on personal development and with your loved ones.
Want more tips to help you achieve success in your business? Visit our Resource hub! Download motivational PDFs to post in your office, get time-tested tips to optimize your business and learn from the success stories of some of our high-achieving Members.
