How Personal Support Helps Your Business

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about support – the kind you think you don’t need but maybe really do. We all know that you can hire an assistant – virtual or otherwise – maybe a project manager, online business manager, and team members for a myriad of assignments.

But what about in our personal lives?

Entrepreneurs often think business first, but when it comes to hiring it is worthwhile to consider the non-business support that can be super helpful and surprisingly affordable.

For example… if you live in the northeast and are at the mercy of the latest superstorm, maybe you want to hire someone to clear your driveway and walkways. It’s not a business expense, per se, but would give you back hours of shoveling which you can then use in your business or to simply relax and consider why winter seems never-ending.

Perhaps you’ve seen the viral video of the man giving a BBC interview when his 2 children and then wife burst in, ensuring that no one hears a word he says on a topic of importance. If your family is interrupting your work time (video conference or not) then maybe it’s time to hire a babysitter or send the kiddos off to daycare so you can work uninterrupted.

Many of us have the goal to eat better, healthier meals and not destroy our kitchens in the process. But if buying, prepping, portioning and cleaning up after your meals is a huge time-suck, it might slowly fade out of importance. I mean, it’s March; already my gym has seen a huge drop off in traffic, which I appreciate when trying to get on a machine but is rather telling.

What if you hired help to do your shopping (or some ecart service), had a personal assistant who would cook and prep meals for you, or just came in once a week to do all the dishes and make your kitchen sparkle.

Hiring help around your house does not make you a slob, or lazy, or a loser. It can make you more productive in your business and focused on the tasks that only you can do. Coaching, consulting, copywriting… these are the essential tasks that take an expert. Sweeping, dusting, vacuuming – those are the tasks you can outsource.

And then there are the big ones. Now, as someone whose hobbies lean toward DIY and projects, I love being able to do some bigger projects myself. But that doesn’t mean you can’t outsource things you don’t love.

Maybe for you it’s gardening and lawn upkeep. Or organizing your garage or basement so it’s actually a useful space and not a disaster zone. Perhaps you need to paint a room or the whole house and you’re totally dreading it. Hire it out! Need to pack for a move, plan a big event, rebuild the engine on that project car you bought? Get help. Unless the project lights you up and fills you with joy, consider getting some outside help.

My parents taught me that often when we have the time to do something, we may not have the money, and if you have the money, you may not have the time. So I’m not telling you to outsource every little task in your life, but remember that, as entrepreneurs, our time is at a premium and it makes sense to get more time by outsourcing the stuff you don’t enjoy.

If nothing else, consider a life where you don’t have to do laundry 3 times a week or your car is waxed, detailed and full of fuel. Imagine what it would be like to open your fridge and have your favorite meals waiting for you and avoid the 6pm rush to the grocery store or take out menu.

Hiring help in your personal life does not mean you are not investing in your business, it indicates you invest in your own health and happiness.