40+FAB Blog

Keep something for yourself

I was having a chat with a couple of friends this morning and we talked about the importance of getting help for certain chores, even if paid for, to free up time to do other high value tasks. This is important in the creation of sustainable and substantial wealth (not just monetary, but a wholesome life that is fruitful and fulfilled).

This then leads to another dilemma that we could face, as we run away from trying to do every little thing ourselves, we can fall victim to outsourcing more than we should when we see how effective we have become with our time being freed up. There is also the danger of becoming overtly transactional as we try to get more value out of our time to pay for the help that gives us that time.

As with everything else in life, we need to get the balance right. There are some things, no matter how time consuming they are, that should ever be given up to external help. It might be painful to do them now, but in the long run it will pay off more dividends than can be imagined. I recall that over the years I have always mowed the lawn myself because my son took an interest in helping me do this right from when he was 5 years old. Outsourcing that task, even though it would save me time, would mean sacrificing the time and bonding I get with my son.

So, what do you need to let go of, if you are doing too many things by yourself? And, what things do you need to keep for yourself so that you have the right balance in every part of your life?