Tackle your to-do list with tasks you can delegate to a VA 

Running a business is tough. Every day, you’re working hard to achieve great things, yet the to-do list just keeps growing… It’s easy to feel like you’re working every hour of the day – especially when your business is thriving and you’re seeing success. Everything can feel incredibly overwhelming, and sometimes lonely. 

But don’t worry, you’re not alone! We’re here to reduce your stress by explaining which tasks you can delegate to a VA – and where to start. 

Feeling overwhelmed at the sheer volume of your to-do list?

To-do lists are fun to write until they become paralysing when you can’t keep up and each day you look at your never-ending list. So, it’s no surprise you don’t know where to start and your stress levels are increasing. 

The biggest concern people have when they need help is how to start delegating tasks effectively so it’s actually helpful. Many business owners worry about it taking too long to explain what needs doing to someone else, so they carry on doing it themselves. This is a huge mistake! 

Letting go of control can be tough, as your business is your passion and you’re (rightfully) invested in its success. But what if we told you that letting go of some things is what will help move you forward?

What’s the best way to delegate tasks?

So, where do you start? First, have a look at your to-do list. Identify what tasks you can delegate to a VA by considering what doesn’t need your particular knowledge or experience. This usually looks like anything that’s a repetitive task, as it’s easy to train someone else to follow the process. Even if you have ‘your way’ of doing things, you can start delegating those tasks to a VA. 

Then prioritise things on your to-do list that do need to be done by you, such as business development or sales calls. Is that list much smaller now? We certainly hope so! By delegating tasks to a VA, you’re freeing up so much more time and headspace to work on the things that drive business growth. 

In reality, the best way to delegate tasks is to simply start. Give a VA a small amount of responsibility and we can bet in time, you’ll be happy to pass over anything you can think of. As soon as you see for yourself the benefits of delegating tasks to a VA, you won’t have any more hesitations! 

5 most common tasks you can delegate to a VA 

Although there are many things you can outsource to a VA, most of our clients need help in these 5 general areas. Within each category, start scratching plenty of tasks off your to-do list, so you no longer have to worry about them.

1. Bookkeeping and finance support

Every business needs to stay on top of their accounts. Even more so when you’re in the early stages and you need to track sales and expense figures. But bookkeeping can be a huge time drain, and it doesn’t take long to get out of hand. 

A 2023 study found that 55% of small businesses have outstanding invoices. This has a real impact on your business cash flow which adds more stress to your day – and it’s avoidable if you manage your finances effectively. A virtual assistant can keep on top of sending invoices, chasing payments, and making sure you’re not missing any vital bills. 

At Virtually Priceless, we often act as the bridge between our clients and their accountants. As a business owner, when you’re informed about your finances but not bogged down by financial admin on your to-do list, you can focus on revenue-building activities. 

2. Recruitment support

The minute you start to build a team and recruit for roles, whether outsourced or employed, there is a huge amount of admin to do. With the average hiring process taking around 36 days, many business owners massively underestimate the time and headspace it takes to build a great team. 

When you delegate your recruitment to a VA, you only need to focus on key areas such as defining role requirements, person specifications, and shortlisting. Someone else will run the whole process for you. From weeding out applications, scheduling interviews, following correct processes, keeping records, through to onboarding your new team member. 

If you want to outsource to other specialists for specific reasons (such as freelancers or consultants), your VA can also help with this process and manage the project for you. 

3. Marketing support

Marketing is something all businesses should be doing, yet it’s often left on the back burner when you get busy (which, let’s face it, is always!). A whopping 42% of SMEs struggle with winning clients, measuring sales, and converting leads. It’s a common pitfall which can be avoided by consistently marketing your business, instead of sporadically posting something and seeing no leads.

Marketing tasks you can outsource to a VA include: 

• Creating and scheduling social media posts 
• Updating your website regularly 
• Creating and sending newsletters 
• Seeking out speaking opportunities 
• Following up with leads and customers 
• Tracking marketing success and analytics 

Just think about how good it will feel knowing your business is attracting new customers without lifting a finger yourself. 

4. Diary and inbox management

One of the simplest but most satisfying tasks you can outsource to a VA includes letting them take control of your inbox. It’s recently been reported that on average, each person receives 121 business-related emails every day! 

So, if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed with the amount of emails you get and how long it takes to sort through them, know you’re not alone. Often a ‘quick check’ leaves us wondering where the day went. 

Instead, hire a VA for email management. They will sort through your emails, flag anything important, and delete anything you don’t need to worry about (so you finally dodge the junk).

Trying to fit your ever-growing task list into your schedule takes a lot of brain power, and working out when to do everything is a job in itself. It’s difficult to set realistic timeframes that also leave you some breathing space, and it’s easy to be over ambitious with what you can achieve in a day – both factors will set you on a path for burnout. 

But you can outsource your diary management, so all your personal commitments, business development tasks, and meetings will be scheduled for you. Your VA will make sure you have enough time for everything important, helping you to set realistic goals while also giving you more time for your personal life. 

5. General admin support 

Behind every successful business, someone is helping with all the admin. General admin tasks you can effectively delegate to a VA include: 

• Managing company inboxes
• Customer service enquiries
• Ad-hoc requests 
• Setting up systems 
• File management
• Researching topics 
• Event planning 
• Travel bookings 
• Data entry 

The list goes on… Each business has its own general admin needs, which is why we always tailor our support packages to suit you. If you need help with it, one of the skilled Virtually Priceless team members can usually take it off your hands! No matter the level of support you need, get flexible, corporate-level assistance without any long-term commitment.

Make your to-do list more manageable by delegating to a VA

Getting help is a game-changer for not only your mental well-being but also for the growth of your business. As Hellen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much!”

When you partner with Virtually Priceless, we become a seamless extension of your business to give you more time for the important things while reducing your stress levels. That’s why we’re an award-winning virtual assistance team. Now you know how to delegate tasks effectively, book a call here to discuss your needs.