How Outsourcing Tasks to a Freelance Admin Can Help Your Small Business

How Outsourcing Tasks to a Freelance Admin Can Help Your Small Business

Jun 13, 2022

I see a lot of small business owners struggle with basic administrative tasks that could very easily be outsourced to a Freelance Admin.

So, what if you could delegate those tasks so that you can focus on your small business’ goals and growth?

I’m Gina Koran, your host for today’s coffee-induced conversation about outsourcing those pesky administrative tasks so that you can focus on the important money-making areas to grow your small business!

Ready? Well, grab that cup of coffee and let’s dive in!

Overwhelm

Being overwhelmed is a common reason that small business owners tend to experience resistance to acting on their goals.

It is hard to act when you have so much to do that you just don’t know where to start.

Am I right?

Frustration

Even if many of the tasks you need to accomplish aren’t related to your goals, it is easy to get frustrated and even to give up.

If you are like most small business owners today, you have too much on your to-do list even without working on your goals.

You probably also have a hard time letting other people help you or saying no when you are overloaded, let alone outsourcing those tasks to a Freelance Admin!

Freeing up time is the quickest route to not becoming the overwhelmed owner of your business.

https://talkroute.com/prevent-feeling-overwhelmed-business-owner/

It’s time to think about outsourcing administrative tasks to a Freelance Admin

Well, it is now time to get over that feeling so that you can reach your goals.

Now is the time to learn to delegate and outsource tasks to free up your time for what matters most (such as working on your goals).

Feeling overwhelmed with administrative tasks for your small business? Outsource them to a Freelance Admin and give yourself back time!
Feeling overwhelmed with administrative tasks for your small business? Outsource them to a Freelance Admin and give yourself back time!

Make a list of tasks you can outsource to a Freelance Admin

The first thing I suggest is to make a complete list of everything you currently have on your task list.

Next, go down the list and consider each task, one at a time.

Which tasks do you absolutely have to do yourself?

And be honest; I am certain you will find that some of them could be done by someone else.

Now, mark off every task that you have to do on your own.

What is left are the things that you can delegate or outsource.

I hear a BUT…

Now, I know that you are probably already coming up with some objections in your brain.

Outsourcing those tasks costs money, no one can do it as well as you can, etc.

If you spend money outsourcing tasks on your to-do list, you’re going to trade that money for time you could spend on other things, such as working on your goals.

As a small business owner, I think we can agree that that is a fair trade, right?

And as far as no one else being able to do the tasks…did you know that Freelance Admins have a wide range of skills.

Very likely, they can accomplish those tasks more quickly and efficiently, freeing you up to focus on other areas!

Not sure what small business tasks your can outsource? Touch base with a Freelance Admin and find out!
Not sure what small business tasks your can outsource? Touch base with a Freelance Admin and find out!

WHAT tasks can you outsource to a Freelance Admin?

I hear you asking “Sure, but exactly WHAT tasks can I or should I outsource to a Freelance Admin?”.

Well, that list is endless.

Pick a handful of tasks from that list you made that absolutely MUST be done, but that maybe you don’t like to do.

Or don’t WANT to do at all.

Or maybe things that you fall behind on because you are not 100% sure how to do them.

Seriously, look at the list of tasks you made that you do every day, that take up your time and that take your time away from your business.

Next, go down your list and start figuring out everything that you can delegate or outsource.

Trust me, there’s a Freelance Admin out there who loves to do those things that you don’t love to do!

Outsourcing those pesky administrative tasks to a Freelance admin can help take the stress out of your life!
Outsourcing those pesky administrative tasks to a Freelance admin can help take the stress out of your life!

PHEW!

You will soon begin to feel the relief that comes with having those pesky tasks taken off your plate.

And the great thing about this is that you can continue to grow the list of outsourced tasks as much as you can, or even want to!

That time you gain by outsourcing tasks to a Freelance Admin? You can now put that time to use working on your goals and dreams.

I’d be willing to bet that once you start to delegate, you won’t want to stop.

And you will quickly add more things other people can do to the list.

Then you will be able to devote even more of your time to your most important tasks.

What can YOU outsource to a Freelance Admin?

So, what is on your list?

I would love to hear what you’ve decided that you can outsource, so drop a comment below.

And if you’re not sure if outsourcing those tasks to a Freelance Admin is the right move for you, head on over to my contact page and hit me up!

I would love to go over your list with you over a virtual cup of coffee, and see what tasks I, or another Freelance Admin can take off your plate to make your job easier!

Until next time, my friends…stay healthy and happy!

5 Ways to Streamline Your Daily Schedule and Increase Efficiency When Working from Home

5 Ways to Streamline Your Daily Schedule and Increase Efficiency When Working from Home

Apr 4, 2022

Do you wish you could streamline your daily schedule and increase your efficiency when working from home? Do you frequently feel like there are not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything you need to do?

Welcome back to GinAdmin where today, me and my sidekicks (my pupper and my always-on-hand cup of coffee) are going to share some ideas that work for me in streamlining my day to work more efficiently.

So, grab your favorite beverage and have a quick read.

As hard as it is, we must do things when we need to.

Otherwise, they don’t get done at all. Or we find ourselves having to do them when we truly don’t have the time TO do them.

Then it seems something else has to be put off.

If you’re like me, when a project has a deadline, it is important to devote all of my undivided attention to it. Otherwise, it won’t get completed. Time management is a critical aspect of every job – from planning to executing.

I have found that my schedule needs to be structured to support efficiency and productivity to reach my goals.

So, if you’ve ever felt like you need to streamline your daily schedule to work more efficiently, here are some tips are for you:

Check your existing workflows and processes.

Ask yourself these questions:

Are my workflows or processes efficient?

Do certain things take too much time or space to complete?

Are there things you can do to either eliminate steps or streamline your workflow?

Assessing current workflows is essential in improving productivity.

No process is perfect; there’s always room to improve. Ben Mulholland  

https://www.process.st/category/business-processes/

For example, do you need to complete specific tasks in a particular order or time? If so, then building your schedule with the tasks in the order you need to complete them will help you work more efficiently.

If you don’t need to do certain activities in the order you listed them, simply reorder them to streamline your daily schedule.

I do this with each task. At the end of every day, I review my current projects and list the priorities for the next day to keep me on track and complete those projects on time.

Ranking your processes to streamline your daily schedule.

Once you know your current workflows, you can rank them in terms of both the amount of time they take to complete and the extent to which they streamline your typical workflow.

I recommend using a scale of 1 to 5, depending on how time-consuming a process is and how much it changes your routine.

If it takes less than five minutes, you can probably combine it with another task in your workflow.

Turn off your notifications.  

Streamline your daily schedule by turning off notifications, this will help you work more efficiently!
Turning off notifications will help you work more efficiently!

Notifications in apps can be great when you want to receive a notice for something important.

But when you’re working tasks, they are simply distractions.

Turn off your notifications and focus only on the task at hand so that you don’t end up losing focus.

The truth is, most notifications can wait.

I put news alerts and messages on hold until later and read them as a reward for finishing my tasks. Then I can sit back with my favorite mug and read them without feeling guilty for taking time away from my important tasks.

Streamline your scheduling by tackling the hard stuff first.

If you are trying to jam in as many tasks as you can, chances are you’re not getting much, if anything done.

Or, you might even be the opposite. You’re spending more of your limited time on busywork that you don’t need to do. To help become more productive, I find that it helps to focus on one task at a time and work on that task until I complete it.

If I find myself multitasking, I try focusing instead for a single 30-minute period. I’ll take a quick break (probably grab another cup of coffee) and get back at it. I talked about multitasking before – you can read that here: How to be more productive this week.

Trying to work on more than one task at a time can cause procrastination, which is a whole new level of anxiety. I take the time to organize my tasks in order of priority. Then make sure the most important projects have the first slot in my schedule.

For instance, I tend to procrastinate on tasks that involve creative work, such as writing, brainstorming, and generating ideas. I find that setting aside 15 minutes a day to write helps me make more progress on that task.

Another trick I use is that I do the things I like to do the least first. Otherwise, I’m just dreading that task while I’m doing other things.

Do your work near an excellent natural source of light.  

Add natural light sources to your work area to help you work more efficiently.
Add natural light sources to your work area to help you work more efficiently.

A good source of light not only helps you see better, but it also helps you work better. This tip is handy if you work from home.

Those of us who work from home can become dependent on artificial light, leading to eye strain and fatigue. Working in a well-lit area and taking regular breaks away from your desk helps with this.

Watch your natural lighting, though. I have windows behind and next to me. When I’m going to be on a video call, I have to close the blinds and the curtains on those windows, otherwise the lighting is terrible!

And while some days my cup and I aren’t looking our best, the person on the other end of the video wants to see you as you’re talking to them!

There you have it…streamline your daily schedule and you’ll be more efficient!

Streamlining your daily schedule and increasing your efficiency will help you focus on what is important throughout the day. Try to limit the number of distractions you have around you.

Now, remember that you might not need to make a complete overhaul of your schedule. Many times, you can make small changes to greatly improve your overall productivity.

One of the best ways to improve your efficiency…you guessed it! Work with a Freelance Admin. We can help you assess and restructure your processes where needed, structure your schedule, and overall make your life easier!

If you try any of these tips, leave me a comment below and let me know how that works out for you. Or if you have other ideas, feel free to share!

And, of course, if you would like to learn more about how a Freelance Admin can help, contact me ~ we can chat over a cup of…yep, coffee, or whatever you beverage of choice is!

Until next time, stay safe my friends!

The 6 Myths of Working with a Freelance Admin

The 6 Myths of Working with a Freelance Admin

Mar 7, 2022

While Freelancing is becoming more popular, especially in today’s almost-post pandemic world, there are still some myths out there about working with a Freelance Admin.

Today, I am sharing my thoughts behind the six most common myths that I have come across.

Welcome back to GinAdmin! I’m Gina Koran and as always, I will be your “hostess with the mostest” coffee! Thanks for coming along on my coffee-fueled journey…let’s jump right into those myths!

Freelancers are only good for one-off projects.

Yes. You certainly can hire a Freelancer for a one-off project, IF that is what you’re looking for.

However, most people who work with a Freelance Admin find that they have knowledge in so many areas that they can turn over more than just a one-time project.

OR, they can use a Freelancer when they DO have a single project that they need help with.

What most business owners find is that by turning over not just everyday tasks, they free up time and energy by hiring a Freelance Admin!

Within the next decade freelance workers will outnumber traditional salaried employees., Adam Heitzman, Co-Founder, Higher Visibility

https://www.inc.com/adam-heitzman/5-myths-about-freelance-work-debunked-once-for-all.html/

Freelancers are just for busy-work

Okay, sure you can pass on that busy work to your Freelancer. But typically, Freelancers have such a wide knowledge base that you will find that, again you can also pass on other, bigger tasks to your Freelance Admin to put some time back into your schedule!

I’m sensing a trend here! (wink)

Freelancers aren’t skilled, otherwise they’d be working a “job” for a big company

Most Freelance Admins come from some type of “corporate” background.

Having been a corporate admin for (way too) many years, I can tell you that having a “job” for a big company is not so much something I want to go back to. I find much more satisfaction in working independently with companies I choose to work with, especially small business owners.  

Why small business owners? Thanks for asking! I love working with small business owners because they are still intimately involved in the daily running of their business. They are still in the trenches, so to speak. They are still passionate about their business.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean to sound as if I am speaking poorly of large corporations. It’s just that having been in that world, I simply and personally enjoy and prefer working with small business owners.

On the skill side, Freelancing is so popular right now and there are so many places for Freelancers to gain knowledge that this is a big pile of myth nonsense. Plus, there are so many online communities for Freelancers, that the knowledge-base we have to draw on is truly impressive.

There are many myths of working with a Freelance Admin! Freelance Admins have great work ethic, skills and loyalty to their clients.

Freelancers lack true work ethic

The majority of the Freelancers I personally know work more hours every week than your average employee.

This comes not only from the fact that we take great pride in our work, but very likely – you are not our ONLY client, so we have to schedule our time to make sure we finish the work we’re given.

Plus, we know that if we don’t do the work we’re contracted to do, we can lose that contract. And that’s just bad business.

And because we ourselves are business owners, we tend to put forth the effort it takes to keep the trust of those who have hired us!

Freelancers aren’t employees, so they have no commitment/loyalty to the company

Again, those Freelancers I know take great pride in working with the business owners who put their trust in them to get the job done.

So I simply call hogwash on that myth.

Companies that encourage the use of freelancers will benefit from the increased access to skilled talent and more workforce flexibility, while those that ignore freelancers will inevitably fall behind.

https://www.allworknow.com/debunking-6-common-myths-hiring-freelance-talent/

As a small business owner, I can’t afford to hire a freelancer

This is probably one of the things I hear most from small business owners that I talk to. And yes, when you are first starting out on your business-ownership journey, hiring ANYONE can feel like a huge expense.

There are three major points I share with the small business owners that I approach about working with me.

First, you cannot do all of the things all of the time over a long period of time. You will burn yourself out and start to resent the very business you started. I have watched this happen to many small business owners.

And as a Freelancer, it is painful for me to see this happen when I KNOW I can help them. It is especially painful when they have previously said “No, thanks” when I offered my services.

The second point I make is that by hiring someone to do the background work, it frees them up to focus on building their business. Which is the goal, right? You want to BUILD.

Which feeds into my third point, and that is that once you have built your business with a solid foundation, eventually you’re going to need to hire SOMEONE. That someone is going to require benefits, supplies, office space, breaks, vacation time. All the things that go along with hiring employees.

Plus, that employee will not have first-hand knowledge of the background of your business.

When you hire a Freelance Admin, you are strictly paying for the work they are doing for you, so no benefits, etc. And by working with them when you are starting out, they have first-hand, working knowledge of how you want things done! There is no learning-curve by having to hire an admin later and take the time to walk them through every step.

By busting through the myths of working with a Freelance Admin, small business owners can gain some insight into how they can work smarter, not harder!

So when a small business owner tells me they cannot afford to hire a Freelance Admin, my question is: Can you really afford NOT to work with me?

And there you have it. One woman’s opinion on the 6 biggest myths of working with a Freelance Admin.

As always, thanks for stopping by! And I would love to hear from you – the good, the bad, the ugly – so  feel free to leave me a comment below. Or pop on over to www.ginadmin.com/contact and schedule a time for a chat!