Getting Your Time Back as a Business Owner and Leader

Do you know the biggest obstacle preventing established leaders and business owners from having work-life balance?

The difficulty to let go.

Most leaders think they are leading well, not micromanaging and have an amazing team in place.

Yet, they are still spending HOURS every week doing tasks that show how much they are afraid to let go, trust their team or ask for help.

There is a deep desire for more freedom and flexibility but it feels impossible when you are running a company and creating impact.

On a recent VIP Day with a client, we did an evaluation of how she is spending her time and energy and it was incredibly eye-opening.

She realized that she was spending between 5-15 hours per week on a task that she didn’t even have to do.

Could you imagine getting 5-15 hours back in your week?

*enter self-care, time with your partner and lowered stress levels*

The reasoning was completely valid in her mind, as it is for most leaders who are struggling with spending too much time working and not enough time with themselves or the people they love.

It’s something only I have the skills for.

It will be quicker if I just do it.

I don’t want them to mess it up.

I know how to do it right.

Sound familiar?

The issue with these thoughts is not only are they not serving your time and energy, they are holding your business and your team back from their potential.

The Truth About Hoarding Tasks

Your reluctance to delegate because you want full control over every aspect, you are fearful of possible mistakes or you are the only one who can do certain things puts more pressure on you and more time on your calendar.

Beyond that, it communicates one thing to your team members: You don’t think they are capable.

As leaders who care about creating great impact, we can easily overlook the impact we are making in our closest circles. Your team is looking to you for leadership and if you are constantly stepping on their toes and jumping in because you think it’s showing them “all hands on deck” - you are probably making them feel smaller.

Which I know isn’t your intention.

Having fear about how your team will handle responsibilities because nobody cares more about your business than you do is completely valid, but fear doesn’t have to stop you from doing what’s best for the future.

Right now thinking about handing off things that come easily to you to your team may cause anxiety since you have that deep sense of ownership, but if you don’t learn to trust your team it will prevent you from the growth and freedom you desire.

Plus, it’s never going to actually be quicker to do it yourself, it’s costing you time which is your most valuable asset. If you do the math of spending 5 minutes on a task 5 days a week that is 25 minutes every single week. You can workout, read a book or call a friend in 25 minutes! Instead you could spend 25 minutes teaching or delegating that task and never have to do it again.

The difficulty of letting things go and asking for what you really need to be the CEO of your company is a hurdle that you can keep bumping into, or learn to jump over.

And honestly, if you didn’t think the people you hired were capable or competent - why did you hire them?

Get Out of Your Own Way

Knowing that by not letting things go, asking for help or trusting your team you are preventing the impact you are truly meant to make - let’s talk about how to make a change and bring balance back to your life.

1. Let them try and expect that they will be human.

As leaders we hold ourselves to a high standard that can be unrealistic, without knowing we also hold our team to the same standard. High standards are important and we also need to leave room for our humanness. We aren’t robots, we are allowed to mess up, and it’s guaranteed we will fail. Let your team try something new, and if they fail, they will learn and everyone will grow.

1. Be willing to learn from your team and let them bring something to the table.

As the leader of your company, you have one perspective, your team brings other valuable perspectives to the table and regardless of their experience - they have something to teach you. You might be doing something in a way that suits you because you’ve always done it, and they might know a way to make it more efficient. Always be willing to learn.

1. Be a better communicator.

Assumptions never serve anyone and unspoken expectations are unfair to everyone involved. Openly communicate your concerns and clearly communicate what needs to be done to your team, if you think back to any past mistakes or failure when delegating - there was likely a miscommunication along the line somewhere. Clearly communicate what your expectations are, the details of what, how, when and where you need things done and make sure they have all the information to succeed.

1. Redefine leadership and make decisions for the long-term.

Living in a state of constant reactivity and putting out fires isn't conducive to your impact, company growth or personal well-being. When you think about the type of leader you want to be, consider redefining what leadership looks and feels like to you so that you are in line with your personal beliefs. Making decisions with your leadership values alongside thinking about what the best choice now for the better long-term result will change the way you make decisions and delegate.

1. Know your (actual) capacity.

I get it, you are strong and independent - all of your resilience has gotten you here! The issue is, it’s burning you out because you are saying yes to too many things and sacrificing your time and well-being. Get really honest about what your capacity is, not what you think you should be able to do - but your capacity with work time and energy that also gives you a great quality of life where you are getting time for yourself and the people you love. THAT is the sweet spot I call success.

That evaluation I did with a client of her time and energy gave her enough time back to have white space in all of her days, take two days off each week from meetings and even schedule personal appointments during her “work hours” so she could spend more time with her kids and partner.

Your leadership potential and impact are begging you to start letting go and ask for what you need to have balance between your work and personal life.

And if you are tired of trying to figure out how to get out of the constant pull in all directions, continue to make a bigger impact and not have to sacrifice yourself or your relationships - book a call here.