How often do you hear someone say that if they could do things over, they’d spend more time picking up their dry cleaning?
It’s a rhetorical question of course, but think about it:
Do errands that need to get done require time off from work, or worse, prevent you from spending your precious time with those you love?
In years to come, will your family have fond memories of the time you spent on Costco runs without them?
I’m pretty sure your family’s best memories will be of the times when you all went swimming or to the park. I find that mine are of things I didn’t really have the time to do but did anyway. Those memories will become valuable one day. Send someone else to the dry cleaners if you are able to do so. You may spend less money if you go yourself, but you’ll also spend less time chasing butterflies or reading Dr. Seuss. Focus on your priorities and outsource the rest, especially tasks you’re not fond of.
When you delegate errands and tasks to others – even a portion of them, you will notice the time and money saved than if you did them all yourself. Here’s how:
Spend a lazy Saturday having brunch, reading the paper, playing video games, or doing anything else with your family instead of going without your presence because you feel it’s your job to do all of the household tasks.
Take control of the small tasks at work that otherwise would sit at the edge of your mind, reminding you that they need to be done. You’ll come across as more focused and positive, better organized and more confident if you aren’t coming back late from lunch because you had to go to the bank, and don’t need to leave work early so you can take the cat to the vet.
Consider the opportunity cost: A lawyer who bills at $250 an hour is losing money anytime he or she could be billing a client but is running errands at lunchtime instead. If he or she were to pay someone $50 to run the lunchtime errands, it would be worth it because the time could be spent working and he or she would still make a $200 profit.
The bottom line is:
Give yourself and your family the gift of your time and outsource daily tasks that might otherwise take time from you.
Outsource small tasks that can be done by other people because you are, after all, only one person, and you deserve to have the use of your time.
Outsource daily tasks that distract you from doing what you love and do for a living. Your work will improve because you’ll be less distracted, you’ll get more done because you’ll interrupt yourself less, and your work life will improve because you’ll be calmer. And that calm will translate to better confidence and a more effective presence.
Time spent with family and friends makes for happy memories to cherish for years to come, and love is about your willingness to spend time with them. Your skill set is valuable to your employer and clients, and dedication is about your willingness to give it your all. Standing in line at Costco, however, isn’t memorable and isn’t paying for that trip to Disneyland next summer.
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