CAN YOU DO IT ALL BY YOURSELF?

 Can you do it all by yourself?

One of the biggest challenges in business is the ability to finish all your tasks on time by yourself. This is due to the increasing demands of the family, the time pressure from the new lifestyle we are living, and because technology is moving so fast pushing customers to believe that any job can be done in a flash of light.
Delegation is the best solution but many people can’t afford to employ people in a small business. Below are some tips that could be helpful in this regard:

1. Create templates: after all many requests are just slightly different from the others. The more you create templates, the faster you become in responding to business needs. You can find samples online then customize for each new project or get the support of some experts.
2. Automate: many processes could be automated which makes a small smart investment in the beginning but saves you lots of time and money in the future.
3. Get trainees from universities; they need practical experience and you need their fresh ideas. It would be nice if you compensate them with fair incentives.
4. Get part-timers or freelancers based on your work load. It might be challenging to find the right people in the beginning but then you start filtering the good ones. 
5. Seek professionals at the beginning: let your lawyer create all your basic agreements then you start customizing them. Same could happen with your designer by creating basic templates with one solid identity, and then you start changing text and pictures depending on each occasion or event.
6. Outsource to the right people: many tasks could be done remotely. Choosing the right social media expert or the adequate accountant can be good examples. You don’t have to go for big packages but make sure you get what you exactly need for your business. A good idea would be to negotiate with them the option of paying them to train you on some major basic skills and get their consultative feedback whenever needed.
7. Use technology: as discussed in December 2015’s issue, there are plenty of free technological tools and apps that can optimize your productivity and save you the cost of employing people.
8. Volunteers: there are plenty of other women around you who would love to help you just because they want to fill their free time and learn something new. Use their service and why not compensate them with some nice incentives or even products or services that you provide.
9. Simplify your work: sometimes tasks are never ending because either people are too perfectionist or they got used to complicated processes. Get an outsider, a friend or relative with good experience to give you an objective feedback about how to do your job in a simpler way.
10. Engage your family: after all the main purpose behind having a business from home is to bond with your family members. It is an exciting experience to work and explore new challenges together. This could apply to your husband, young children and sometimes your retired parents.

Don’t forget that “if you keep on doing what you are doing, you will keep on getting what you are getting”. So what are you willing to change in order to expand your productivity?

Jade William Dagher
SME Business Strategist
+961-4-977355
+961-70-226969
[email protected]
www.expand-mena.com