A few weeks ago, I was in a women’s networking meeting with my dear friend, Beth McCormack. Beth is a divorce attorney rock star, as well as a wise friend and mentor. We were responding to a question in the group regarding delegating to others and Beth said, “I delegate without apology.” Ladies, did you hear that? She delegates without apology!
Seriously, I was a bit blown away in that the rest of us were apologizing for delegating. One woman said, “I can totally clean the house on my own, but sometimes I hire someone to help me. I feel bad because I can do it myself.” Another woman said, “I hate to ask for help even if I’m paying someone. It’s just so uncomfortable for me.” I added my own apology when discussing how I often felt guilty for asking my children and husband to do more around the house.
How is it that my friend Beth had figured this all out and delegated without apology? Here’s how; she knows her own worth, she has her values nearly perfectly aligned, and she makes enough money to pay others to do the things that she doesn’t need to spend time on. By delegating to others, Beth has more time for her family, friends, and her booming career. Crazy, right?
What is your time worth?
What is your time worth? Is it best spent cleaning your house, or writing your novel? Is your time better spent doing clerical work or something that you are far more skilled at? There is nothing wrong with house cleaning or clerical work, yet if those aren’t areas that we are either highly motivated to do or highly skilled in, then delegating those tasks are beneficial for all involved.
What do you value most in life? Is it family time, faith, friends, work? No judgment, yet often I find that women are not spending time doing the things they value, but rather the things they feel they must do. Yes, delegating can often be expensive, but it can also save us money in that it allows us to do the work we are best at versus spending too much time in other areas. Delegating can also be done without expense through family, friends, or other helpful people in our lives.
What can you start to delegate without apology?
What can you start to delegate without apology? Would delegating one thing give you more time to do what you do best or to honor your values? I found that when I hired my truly amazing virtual assistant, I had more time to do what I do best – coach, speak, and write. I actually spent money to make money and to streamline my business and my personal life. It was a win all the way around and one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Recently, I hired a phenomenal editor to edit my blogs. I was spending hours suffering over grammar, spelling, and sentence structure when I should have been out meeting people and building my business. Apparently, Beth’s advice has worn off on me!
Ladies, lets start delegating without apology today! No saying I’m sorry when we ask someone to support or help us. No qualifying statements as to why you need or want help. We need help from others and we don’t need to be sorry that we do!
Love,
Lisa Kaplin Psy. D. PCC