Is It Time To Hire Out?

This post is Day #26 in the 31 Days to a Better Work + Life Balance series.

Do you ever wish you could just multiply yourself?

I love getting a lot done, wearing a lot of hats and trying a lot of different projects but sometimes the time and energy just aren't there.

Last year during my business' busy season, I started to feel the strain of managing too many things. Emails were getting missed, designs weren't getting finished in time and my kids weren't getting enough attention. I finally decided it was time to hire some help. 

If you're feeling a little stretched and wondering if it's time to hire out, here are a few questions to ask...

What Could Be Handed Off?

Are there enough things you don't necessarily HAVE to be in charge of? It feels scary to hand off responsibility to someone else, but you might just have to let go of control for your own sanity. Make a list of all the things that wouldn't negatively affect your work/life if they were delegated.  

Is It Worth The Cost? 

Good help can be expensive, but it can be costly in other ways if you DON'T get the help you need. Think about what will be sacrificed if you do (and if you don't) hire help. Can you really afford to hire help or would it be better to just limit projects until your business grows? 

Who's The Best Source?

This is really important. Make sure the person you hire is the right person with the right skills for the job. They need to be clear on your goals and be equally invested in your business. It doesn't pay to hire someone and spend all your "extra" time re-explaining things or re-doing their work. I think it's tempting when you're small just to ask a relative or friend, but it might benefit you more to send extra work to the pros.

What's A Good Back-Up Plan?

Maybe it's not possible to hire a full-time employee but there are a lot of ways to get extra help. Trade-off babysitting, cooking, and cleaning with a friend. Check out your local college for those in need of internships. Look for companies you could outsource to for those tasks that take up a lot of time. Maybe instead of hiring someone to work for your business, you can pay for childcare once a week so you have a full day to work alone.

I chose to go with the help of an intern for three months during my busiest season. I also tried let my kids join a "mom's day out" program for three hours once a week, just to give myself an extra work day for a few months. The limited time helped me decide if I could really afford help and if I had enough tasks I could hand off. If you're not sure, give yourself a trial period and see how it goes!