If you’ve been following my work and this blog for a few months, you’ll know that I’ve had periods of my life where I’ve worked like a slave to my own business goals and dreams. That period taught me some of the best lessons of my life, without a doubt.

Earlier this year, I took the plunge into the world of outsourcing. If you’re following the business world, you know it’s one of the biggest trends and most time-saving, cost-saving, enlightening thing ever.

I took out a piece of paper and brainstormed all areas of my business and then decided upon which areas I should and could outsource and those I had to do myself. It was challenging because I believed that no-one could do the job as good as I could in most areas but I also believed that I couldn’t do it all myself and along with that belief gave into the fact that if anyone can do it at least 60% better than I could, I’d be happy to let them do it. At least, I could focus on the more important tasks at hand.

So I brainstormed and I came out with the following things that required outsourcing:-

• General admin - writing letters, making phone calls, voicemails, etc
• Customer service by email and telephone
• Venue and equipment search, negotiation and liason
• Event management - payments, confirmations to participants, receipts, etc
• Product duplication, manufacture, printing, fulfillment, etc
• Refund analysis and returns management
• Financial management - book keeping, receipts, invoice creation, monthly reports printing and management
• Accounting
• Speaking enquiries, calendar management, etc
• Press release distribution and media database management

I have outsourced all of the above, and even if some of my services were a little bit expensive, it is really worth it. I have so much free time, mental space and time to do what I want. But before I get into the challenges, I’m dealing with, here’s what I haven’t outsourced and still do:-

1. Writing articles, hot sheets, newsletters, etc
2. Coming up with marketing promotions, writing sales letters, etc
3. Handling personal email
4. Speaking at live events and telephone conferences
5. Conducting monthly financial analysis and looking for ways to grow and expand
6. Keeping an eye out on my Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

These are things I enjoy doing still and until I stop enjoying them, I’ll continue to do them.

As a result of having so much free time, I’m now feeling like I have nothing to do. This is only an after-feeling of having worked 16-hour days at one point. I am still as committed, if not more. To get over this, I am working on my dreamlines as Tim Ferriss puts it, and coming up with things that I want to have, be and do.

For starters, as you may have noticed, I have got more time to devote to my work on peace and unity as I can write more at this blog. I have also started the Breakfast Conversations, which you must attend so please put it in your diary. And there’s more in the pipeline too.

Perhaps in a later issue, I’ll share my intentions of what I want to have, do and be. In the meantime, I highly recommend Tim Ferriss’s method of dreamline. Read more here. Here is an electronic version.

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