One of the major sources of stress often stems from a task list that feels overwhelming—whether it’s written down or just swirling around in your head. The list might have too many items for the time available. Sometimes tasks are outside your skillset (which can add more stress while you’re in the learning stage). Or there could be jobs you simply don’t enjoy. All of these could lead to procrastination, snowballing into time-wasting and negatively impact your mental well-being.
I’ve experienced all of those at some stage over the years. So, what do we do about it? … offload, delegate, outsource!
Offloading is similar to delegating, but I see it more as something you do on a personal level rather than in the workplace. For instance, at home, you can share chores with others. In social or sporting groups, you might find someone who loves baking or enjoys creating posters and let them handle those tasks. When my daughter was young, she thought dusting with a fluffy duster was fun, so I taught her how to do it! For those who aren’t as eager, offering a trade-off or incentive might help.
Delegation is a crucial skill in the workplace, and there’s plenty to explore on the subject. I found an excellent article that delves into it in detail, which you can check out here: Delegating – Corporate Finance Institute.
However, there are some things to be prepared for when outsourcing. You’ll need to research potential people or companies, interview a few, and sometimes, things might not work out as planned, requiring you to go through the process again. There’s also the time investment in instruction, training, and explanation, and of course, there’s a cost involved. But it could turn out to be the best decision you ever make! I used to think I couldn’t afford to outsource, but I learned the hard way that not outsourcing was actually costing me more—because I wasn’t achieving the desired results by trying to do everything myself. If money is tight, consider a barter arrangement or trade-swap—think outside the box for creative solutions. The upside is that your time and energy can be redirected to more profitable tasks or simply improving your work-life balance.
So, where can you offload, delegate, or outsource?