Why Outsourcing is an Exercise in Self-Care
Your inbox is overflowing. Your to-do list is never-ending. You’re behind on several deadlines and, to top it all off, the sink is overflowing with dishes. Sounds like a nightmare fit for a horror movie, right?
Unfortunately, it’s the reality for many creative solopreneurs who carry the burden of doing everything in their businesses and personal lives. It’s easy to look around and see other entrepreneurs thriving on both sides, leaving you to wonder: Why is it so hard for me?
The answer is simple: You aren’t outsourcing.
What you don’t see behind people’s highly-curated Instagram feeds or their seeming ability to be in multiple places at once is the team that allows them to get it all done.
If you want to position your business to scale, take back control of your life, and reclaim your freedom, you have to ask for help and invest in the support you need to achieve growth.
Without further ado, here are the key benefits of outsourcing and some tips to get started.
You will gain more time in your schedule.
This is the obvious one, but typically the most valuable perk of outsourcing for entrepreneurs! When you don’t have to oversee every little detail in your business, you can find more time in your schedule to dedicate however you see fit. Need some TLC to overcome a case of burnout? Let someone else run the show for a while. Interested in pursuing a new business direction? Spend more time strategizing by delegating what already needs to be done.
You will create more headspace.
Going through business with a “go, go, go” approach will inevitably leave you feeling exhausted and depleted. The creative juices that have driven your success begin to dry out and, suddenly, all of that inspiration is nowhere to be found. Once you begin outsourcing areas of your business, you’ll find that the ideas start flowing again and you’ll feel motivated and productive.
You will learn valuable leadership skills.
Doing everything yourself and managing someone else are two entirely different skill sets. Delegation can be challenging for solopreneurs who are used to completing every single thing in their businesses from start to finish. However, there are only a finite number of hours in a day and you can’t scale a business without taking on help. As you begin outsourcing to employees or contractors, you’ll begin to learn how to be a better leader and teach your team members to meet expectations and deliver impactful results.
You will add new perspectives to the mix.
Solopreneurs are wildly creative, but it’s common to deal with “tunnel vision” since there is no one else to ask for input. You are the idea generator, and you are also the sounding board! Such an approach can limit your potential, as you’re only viewing your business and its market through one set of eyes. Expanding your team will open you up to new ideas and perspectives that you may have never considered.
Get Started with Outsourcing
If you’re ready to start shifting your responsibilities to others, start by creating a list of everything you hate doing, as well as anything that takes too much time. There’s a good chance these categories overlap with the areas in which you don’t perform best. Then, consider what you can reasonably hand off in the near future and begin looking for someone to fill the role.
Whether you choose to hire an employee on payroll or outsource to a 1099 contractor will depend on your business model, your finances, and your management style. 1099s can be a great way to get your feet wet as a leader and learn the ropes of delegation and management.
In the process, you’ll also need to consider what needs to happen to smoothly onboard your new hires. You will likely need to build out an employee handbook that covers policies, company values, systems and workflows, and other operational details. At the very least, outline your SOPs (standard operating procedures) clearly to share with them. What might be muscle memory for you will likely involve a learning curve for your new team members.
Let me be clear: Outsourcing is a powerful strategy for managing your business responsibilities, but it’s also a great way to maximize your personal time. Hiring someone to clean your house, do groceries, maintain your lawn, or watch over the little ones can give you the space you need to embrace hobbies, pursue passion projects, and spend more intentional time with loved ones.
Self-care is about giving yourself the freedom and abundance you need to thrive in life, without sacrificing the responsibilities associated with your business. With the support of others, you can have your cake and eat it, too!
Jennifer Taylor is the principal of Jen Taylor Consulting, a consulting firm that works with creative businesses of all sizes to implement streamlined workflows and organized systems to find more time and space for business growth and personal development.
