Hire. Barter. Delegate.

Journeying back home from a great weekend in New York at a friends wedding. I'm thinking about all the things I need and want to do! However, I'm choosing to work smarter, not harder. On my to-do list are things that I'm capable of doing but not very good at. Also on the list are things that would take me 5x as long as someone who is skilled and talented in said need. In addition to that, some of those things are energy drainers and I simply don't want to do them.

Three solid tips to receive help in business

So what will I do?

1. Hire someone. You don't have to be the CEO of a multinational billion dollar corporation to have an employee. You can hire a contractor to work with/for you. There are freelancers out there, virtual assistants, individuals or groups with side hustles and 15-year-olds! Find someone who can do a job well and hire them! People who are getting paid for a service have a great incentive.

2. Barter with someone. Don't have unallocated income? Bartering is an age-old skill that has been lost in today's business world but is making a comeback! Find a company, group or person that has something you want and vice versa. In the past, I've offered free life coaching sessions for admin hours or help with an event. Your skills can help pay for things and sometimes it's better to pay using your work/strengths/talent/skill than with Benjamins!

3. Delegate to someone. Stop trying to do it all! Utilize the people around you to complete goals or tasks. Envisioning, creating or leading does not have to equal doing all the grunt work, all the time. The people around you (your team, friends, family) are a great resource to assign or ask. Don't be afraid to give vision and then be hands-off or have people report back. Cease from micromanaging and enjoy the bliss of delegation!

You don't have to do everything, neither could you. It's simple, improve your quality of life with three simple steps: hire, barter and delegate!

Tolu Akande