Most startups are powered by a great people with a great idea. But your greatest strength is also your greatest enemy. It’s your unmatchable passion. For each task that comes at you, you say to yourself, nobody is going to do this like I will. I’ve got the vision! I’ve got the energy! And I’ve got enough caffeine in my veins to kill an elephant! I can do this myself. And it will only take 15 minutes.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. You can easily drain your entire day of any productive time by doing everything yourself. Recognize what you are really, really good at, and make set times — yes, set times — where you focus on those activities. Everything else should be delegated or outsourced. Bookkeeping? Bite the bullet – hire a part-time person. Data entry? Dictation? You must be kidding. Graphic design? Don’t tell me your time is worth less than an outsourced designer who can do it three times as well in a third of the time.
The secret to time management isn’t such a big secret. It’s this: spend most of your time doing what you’re good at.
Here’s how to start: pick one activity that you do that you’re not great at. Maybe it’s QuickBooks. Marketing. Writing. IT. Cleaning up. Whatever your case is, take a cold, hard look at that one activity and ask yourself, how much time do I waste on this? How much could I accomplish if I didn’t have to look at this task? Then find a way to get that job off of your plate.
Try it!
Rafael Mael
Marketing Strategist
Brand Launcher