As my 40th birthday approaches this July, I started thinking about how my work style has changed. In my 20s, I was all about multitasking and getting through tasks quickly. I could manage a lot of work alone and make good progress. Even in my early 30s, I kept up this pace but started feeling stressed, overworked, and overwhelmed.

As I enter a new decade (which I’m really excited about!), I noticed changes in myself. I no longer try to do a bunch of things at once. Instead, I focus on one task at a time and avoid distractions like checking non-urgent messages or spending too much time on social media. I also learned to appreciate help, even from unexpected places, like when my six-year-old daughter makes her hot chocolate in the morning.

Whether it’s business or household chores, I realized that as long as things are getting done well, it’s okay if they’re not done exactly my way. Even if the task is done 80% efficiently, it feels 100% awesome that I didn’t have to do it! A concept I learned from the book “Buy Back Your Time” by Dan Martell.

In my business, I’ve learned to trust the professionals I work with. I listen to their suggestions and value their insights because they often understand the tasks better. Likewise, in my personal life, I’ve hired support for tasks like house cleaning and laundry folding. While they may not do things exactly as I would, they still get the job done well. And it is great to be supported and not feel the weight of the world on my shoulders.

When bringing new team members on board, it takes some time to get them up to speed, and you must be willing to invest some time upfront to make things work. Clear communication and instructions are very important, as well as creating an environment that invites feedback and improvement. 

Once it gets to the point where your new team member understands what they need to do without being supervised all the time, they might even do certain tasks better than you. And that’s amazing! With support in the long run, life will get easier and simpler, your workload will be shared with others, and soon you’ll realize that by hiring help, you just created more time for yourself.

When I first started hiring, I kept getting disappointed when others didn’t meet my expectations. But, I soon realized that I was the common denominator and needed to change my communication style and management approach. I became more vulnerable with my needs, patient, more direct, and honest. This adjustment significantly improved how tasks were getting done and how smoothly things ran.

I understand now that it’s not about doing things my way, and yes, nobody will ever do things like me because we’re all unique! It’s about getting things done well and efficiently, whether it’s me or others doing them. And realizing this has made a big difference in my daily life.