Are You Waiting Too Long To Ask For Help?
Asking for help can evoke feelings of self-judgment (guilty!). You may feel less than when you are unable to accomplish all that you’ve set out to do. The truth is, asking for help can save you money and time.
When working with new clients, they are so pleased, and I am often asked, “Why did I wait so long?”
I don’t have the magic answer to that question. For me, it all goes back to… just because you can do it all doesn’t mean you should.
Waiting to Ask for Help Slows Business Growth
I recommend you take a close look at your business to determine what needs to be addressed:
1. Identify Your Pain Points. Make a list of things in your business that take too long, completely frustrate you, or overwhelm you to the point that they’ve gotten out of hand or you just plain loathe doing them. And let us be honest: there are some things we try to do ourselves that are completely outside of our skill set. Among my biggest pain points is preparing my taxes. I would be lost without my amazing accountant!
2. Prioritize. Now that you’ve listed your pain points, determine the priority of each area based on how much time and money they waste and how they slow you down.
3. Put a Plan in Place. This is where you determine whether to hire someone to help or take actionable steps to put a process in place and stop them from slowing your business growth.
4. Take Action. I’m not suggesting that addressing your pain points will be quick. Address each pain point one by one so you can become more efficient, work less, and achieve your business goals.
So, who do you ask for help? That depends on the pain point. Some areas call for a specialist — an accountant, a lawyer, a marketing professional. Others, like managing your calendar, organizing your workflow, handling follow-up, or keeping the details from falling through the cracks, are where an executive assistant can make a meaningful difference.
The goal is the same regardless of who you bring in: get the right support in place so you can focus on the work that only you can do.
Pain points are different for everyone, but they are all manageable. Break it down, breathe, and go for it. Help is closer than you think.