Are you guilty of holding on to ALL aspects of your business because you’re a control freak and the idea of getting help makes you nervous? You know deep down that it’s not a sustainable way to work, which is why you’re beginning to consider outsourcing to a VA.

Over my years as a Virtual Assistant and a Virtual Business Manager, I’ve met many people like you. I hear SO many reasons why people think they can’t work with a VA.

The hardest part is getting started when it comes to delegating tasks.  But I’m here to help – even if you’re a control freak, super disorganised, or consider yourself a nightmare to work with.

How to start outsourcing to a VA

If you struggle to delegate within your business and consider yourself a bit of a control freak, thinking about handing tasks over to a VA can be difficult. Many business owners believe they need to have all their systems, processes, and business plans in place before they start working with a VA. This is so far from the truth!

As a Virtual Assistant, I hear the following phrases so often –

  • “I’m such a control freak, I can’t have anyone else working on my business”
  • “I’m so disorganised and you won’t want to work with me”
  • “I will be an absolute nightmare to work with”

If you are using any of these as an excuse to avoid outsourcing to a VA – stop!

A Virtual Assistant is here to support you in any way you need, starting from the ground up. We don’t care or judge you if you haven’t got it all figured out yet, because that’s what we are here for.

Handing over tasks to your Virtual Assistant will be the best thing for both you and your business to ultimately get MORE control over your future.

List specific tasks for your Virtual Assistant

Start by writing a list of everything you do in your business. Even down to the most (seemingly) insignificant tasks.

Which tasks MUST be done by you because of your expertise? And which parts of your business do you LOVE doing?

Then move on to the tasks you DON’T enjoy. Which tasks drain your energy? And which ones do you avoid like the plague? These are the perfect starting points for outsourcing to a VA, even as a control freak.

Once you start working with a VA on the worst tasks, you’ll realise how helpful it is. Then the list of tasks you’re happy to hand over will grow and you’ll free up even more time to do the things that progress your business (that you also enjoy!).

Write down anything you could be doing better

This section is looking to the future and recognising which areas of your business could be performing better.

  • Are you missing out on leads due to a slow response time?
  • Is your diary management system letting you down?
  • Do you spend too long on repetitive tasks?
  • Do you struggle to find your customer information because you haven’t got an organised CRM system?

No matter what the area is, outsourcing to a VA can help you to improve it. By implementing systems and processes that free up your time, you have more energy to focus on improving your business. Give better customer service, become more organised, and run a more efficient and profitable business.

Dream about how you will use your extra time

One way to convince your control freak brain this is a good decision is to imagine the extra time you’ll have by outsourcing to a VA. Remember, you should work to live, not live to work.

What will you do with this extra time? You could use it to –

  • take a course to expand your skills
  • spend more time with the family
  • focus on business development
  • start exercising regularly
  • go on lunchtime walks
  • take up a fun hobby
  • read more books
  • have a nap!

Whatever the reason, having more time is every business owner’s dream…

Work with a Virtual Assistant you like personally

As a control freak or someone who feels like you’re difficult to work with, it’s important to have a personal relationship with your VA. You need to feel comfortable to be open and honest about what’s working – and what’s not.

Working with a Virtual Assistant is a relationship built on trust and you need to be able to let them in to your business. The more you trust they can help, the easier it will be to let go of your tight grip on the business.

Treating your VA as a dependable partner by showing them respect and appreciation will also make for a much better result. Don’t forget to celebrate your business wins with your VA – big or small!

Set clear expectations

When you start outsourcing to a VA, setting clear expectations and goals at the start is key. Have your list of tasks ready and openly discuss your business goals with your new Virtual Assistant. They need to know what success looks like to you, what you’re hoping to achieve, and which areas to focus on. Without this, you’ll struggle to evaluate the relationship, as you’ll have no measure of success.

Also remember that things won’t be perfect instantly – it may take some time for everything to run smoothly. That’s completely normal when outsourcing to a VA!   But if there are any deadlines to hit, make sure you are clear about this from the outset.

Hire the right Virtual Assistant for you

Part of your reluctance towards outsourcing could be that you haven’t yet found the right person. As we’ve already mentioned, it’s important to trust your VA and build a personal relationship. See our top tips on how to find the best Virtual Assistant for your business.

We promise that overcoming your control freak tendencies and letting someone into your business will eventually reduce your stress. If you want help relieving the pressure to become reenergised in your life, Spero Solutions can help. Get in touch to start outsourcing to a VA today.