As a business owner, time is of the essence. Running a business is demanding. You are either performing the day-to-day administrative work or you're working in your business, attending to your customers or clients. What is the best use of your time? The answer is simple. Your time should be spent doing what you do best. The day-to-day administrative tasks can be delegated. It's so much easier to review work than to do it yourself! Here are some suggestions to get you started.

1. Secretarial services
Don't do this yourself. From answering phones to managing your correspondence, hire a secretary or a service to handle these everyday, but very time-consuming tasks.

2. Research
Need to find market data, special software for your business, or research a particular issue? Don't spend valuable time doing it yourself. There are online researchers, virtual assistants, and even college students who have access to the latest and greatest research databases and tools.

3. Word processing
This is a wonderful task to delegate. You can make it even easier by recording your thoughts and then passing a tape or digital recording to an administrative assistant for processing. Word processing assistance is especially helpful if you're producing large volumes of books, workbooks, or other word-intensive products as a part of your business.

4. Microsoft PowerPoint presentations
Why be a Microsoft guru, mastering each and every one of their products? Instead, delegate the preparation of your presentations. It is far easier to critique the finished product produced by someone skilled with the software than to try to create it from scratch.

5. Data processing/database management
Managing a contact database can be a time-consuming process even if you have a small number of clients or customers. Instead of processing add, change, and delete requests yourself, spend your time adding new customers to your business. You may even be able to find a system that, once set up, automates people coming into your business through your website or eZine.

6. Desktop publishing
Publishing a newsletter or eZine? Sounds easy, but its a lot more time intensive than you might think. Crafting a publication involves writing content, formatting, editing, and distribution. It may be time to call in a ghostwriter and/or an experienced desktop publisher to help with these projects.

7. Web design and maintenance
If your online presence is a critical part of your business, and especially if it is more complex than most (using shopping carts or interactive databases), ask someone with technical expertise to help you out. While it's a good idea to understand all aspects of your business, even how to manage your website, hiring a helper is the best solution in terms of productivity.

8. Shopping cart setup and maintenance
Setting up a shopping cart to sell your products and services is easy to do. But, easy as it is, it can be extremely time consuming depending upon the number of items that you sell. Teach someone how to do this for you. Youll be happy that you did.

9. Transcription services
Going hand-in-hand with word-processing, transcription should definitely be delegated. As an added bonus, the project you have transcribed might turn into a product you can sell to your clients or customers in the future.

10. Bookkeeping
Accounting is probably one of the most frustrating tasks of any business owner. Of all of these areas, it is definitely one that should be farmed out to a professional. At a minimum, keep your records organized in folders so that they can easily be transported to and handled by your accountant.

11. Purchasing services
Are you spending considerable time buying office supplies, collateral or even products and services, which you resell to your customers? If so, find someone skilled in purchasing and negotiation. They'll help you find what you need much faster and probably at a lesser cost.

12. Writing & editing services
Unless you're a talented writer and editor, you'll want to hire a professional. The written word, whether it's in an article, in a brochure, or on your website, speaks volumes about you and your business. You can't afford anything less than the best when it comes to writing.

13. Marketing services
As a business owner, you need to do a certain amount of marketing for your business. But when it comes to publicity, advertising, or other types of paid marketing efforts, hire a professional. They have the contacts that can make a difference to your future success.

14. Personnel services
If you have employees, that means doing payroll and possibly administering benefits. The paperwork, alone, can be overwhelming, not to mention the rules and regulations related to tax and legal compliance. Don't even think of trying to do these tasks yourself. You'll save yourself a lot of frustration.

15. Personal errands
As a business owner, hiring someone to do your personal errands will free you up to work in your business and will provide you that much needed break when you just want to be at home relaxing. Having someone to do personal errands like renewing subscriptions, handling snail mail, dry cleaning, and even providing food delivery or in-house chef services can free up considerable time that can be spent doing things that you most enjoy.

Copyright 2004 by Alicia Smith