In his Business to Community article, Jacob Shriar asks “Is a 40 Hour Workweek Really Necessary?”

As a small business owner, particularly a solopreneur are you working overtime? If you have tried a number of strategies to increase your productivity and are unable to pare down the hours behind your desk, you may find your answer to this question is “yes.”

If you are not delegating work that doesn’t require your expertise, it may be time to consider outsourcing. Hone in on tasks that are not necessarily revenue-generating activities or operational priorities. Assess the time it takes to complete each one or your tolerance level for performing a certain task. If it is taking too much time or you simply don’t enjoy that facet, can it be outsourced? There are a variety of highly skilled professionals working as freelancers or independent contractors who could provide adjunct support services for your business.

Need a referral? Ask around your existing network, inquire at your local Chamber of Commerce or conduct an online search. Adding an independent contractor to your team may require a bit of work in the beginning when providing instructions or establishing a protocol but once the system is in place, you can breathe a sigh of relief as delegation will lessen your workload in the long run.