How Delegating to a Virtual Assistant Can Add 10 Hours Back to Your Week
Ever feel like your to-do list grows faster than you can tick tasks off? You start each day with a clear plan for growth, only to find yourself buried in emails, updating spreadsheets, and chasing invoices. By the time you look up, the day has vanished, and your strategic goals are still sitting on the back burner. You’re not alone in this frustrating cycle.
A recent survey commissioned by virtual assistant company Time etc revealed a startling productivity blind spot: the average entrepreneur spends more than a third (36%) of their work week on small, administrative tasks. That’s valuable time spent working in the business rather than on it—time that could be devoted to strategy, growth, and innovation instead. This finding underscores how much potential productivity is lost to busywork, highlighting the need for delegation and smarter work structures (Lashbrooke, 2023)
The solution isn’t to work harder or longer hours; it’s to delegate smarter. By offloading the right tasks, you can reclaim your most valuable asset—time—and refocus your energy on what truly drives your business forward.
Take Back Your Time with a Virtual Assistant
The Hidden Cost of ‘Doing It All’
Entrepreneurs often find themselves buried under administrative tasks, diverting focus from strategic growth activities
Research shows that entrepreneurs spend a staggering 68.1% of their time on daily operational tasks, leaving just 31.9% for strategic, growth-focused work (Alternative Board, 2016). A survey commissioned by Time etc further highlights common time drains—logging expenses (59%), conducting research (49%), managing schedules (45%), creating invoices (44%), and data entry (43%) (Lashbrooke, 2024).
This ongoing grind doesn’t just limit productivity—it also fuels burnout, dimming the passion that inspired your business in the first place.
A Virtual Assistant (VA) is a remote professional who provides technical, administrative or creative assistance to clients. By delegating tasks to a
VA, you’re not just hiring help; you’re making a strategic investment in
your own productivity. If a VA handles just two hours of your admin
work each day, that’s 10 hours added back to your week—time
you can reinvest in high-value activities.
Administrative Support: The Core of Delegation
This is often the easiest place to start. A VA can transform your daily workflow by managing the foundational tasks that consume hours of your day.
- Email Management: A VA can filter your inbox, respond to common inquiries, flag urgent messages, and unsubscribe from clutter, saving you from the constant distraction of notifications. This alone can significantly reduce decision fatigue.
- Calendar Management: Scheduling meetings, sending reminders, and managing appointments across different time zones can be seamlessly handled by a VA.
- Data Entry and Document Preparation: From transcribing meeting notes to formatting presentations and updating CRM records, a VA ensures your data is organized and your documents are professional.
Financial Admin: From Invoicing to Expenses
Cash flow is critical, but the administrative side of finance is a notorious time sink. A VA can help you stay on top of your finances without getting bogged down in the details.
- Invoicing and Collections: A VA can create and send invoices, track payments, and professionally follow up on overdue accounts, maintaining positive client relationships while ensuring timely payments. This keeps your cash flow healthy and predictable.
- Expense Management: They can log receipts, categorize expenses using financial software, and prepare reports for your accountant, simplifying tax time.
Marketing and Content Support: Scaling Your Presence
Maintaining a consistent online presence is vital for growth but requires significant effort. A VA with marketing skills can manage these ongoing tasks.
- Social Media Management: Scheduling posts, responding to comments, and repurposing content (e.g., turning a blog post into a series of tweets) keeps your brand active and engaging.
- Content Creation: A VA can assist with drafting blog posts, creating newsletters, and researching topics, allowing you to produce valuable content more consistently.
The ROI of Delegation: More Than Just Time
Viewing a virtual assistant (VA) as an expense is a common mistake. In reality, it’s an investment with a measurable return. The value generated by the high-level strategic work you can now perform far outweighs the cost of delegation. A case study of coaching businesses found that investing in VA support led to an average return on investment (ROI) of 279 %, freed up 32 hours per week, doubled client capacity, and achieved an 81 % increase in annual revenue (Foster, 2024).
Beyond the financial gains, the intangible benefits are just as significant. Entrepreneurs hire VAs not just to save money, but to improve their overall quality of work and life.
Top Motivations for hiring Virtual Assistant
Data sourced from Invedus Virtual Assistant Statistics.
What Will You Do with an Extra 10 Hours a Week?
Imagine what becomes possible when you reclaim a full day of work each week. Those extra 10 hours can be the catalyst for transformative growth, both professionally and personally. Instead of being reactive, you can become proactive.
With your newfound time, you could:
- Focus on High-Value Strategy: Develop a new product line, map out your next quarter’s marketing campaign, or analyze competitor strategies.
- Build Relationships: Network with industry peers, nurture leads, and spend more quality time with your most important clients.
- Invest in Yourself: Take a course, read a book, or simply rest and recharge to prevent burnout and maintain long-term creative energy.
- Reconnect with Life Outside of Work: Be present for family dinners, attend your child’s school event, or take a weekend trip without the nagging feeling that you should be working.
Reclaiming time through delegation allows entrepreneurs to invest in what matters most, including family and personal well-being
Getting Started: How to Delegate Effectively
Effective delegation is a skill. To ensure a successful partnership with a VA, it’s important to be strategic from the start. Here are a few best practices to follow.
01 Identify and Document Your Tasks
Before you hire a VA, take time to audit your own workload. Create a list of your daily, weekly, and monthly tasks and categorize them into three groups: tasks only you can do, tasks that can be delegated, and tasks that can be eliminated. This categorization helps you identify the best opportunities for delegation. For recurring tasks, document the process with step-by-step instructions or a short video. This initial investment in creating training materials will save significant time later.
02 Start Small and Build Trust
You don’t have to hand over the keys to your entire business on day one. Start by delegating a few low-risk, repetitive tasks. This allows you to build a working relationship and gives the VA a chance to learn your preferences and communication style. As they demonstrate competence and reliability, you can gradually delegate more complex responsibilities. Building trust over time is crucial for a successful long-term partnership.
03 Communicate Clearly and Provide Feedback
Clear communication is the cornerstone of effective delegation. When assigning a task, explain the purpose, provide all necessary resources, and define what “done” looks like. Establish regular check-ins to discuss progress, answer questions, and provide constructive feedback. Encouraging two-way dialogue fosters a collaborative environment where your VA feels comfortable asking for clarification and sharing ideas, ultimately leading to better outcomes.
Focus on What Truly Matters
True productivity isn’t about doing more; it’s about creating the space to focus on what matters most. The endless cycle of administrative work is a silent thief of your time, energy, and strategic potential. By embracing delegation and partnering with a virtual assistant, you can break free from that cycle.
If you’re ready to stop drowning in the day-to-day and start steering your business toward its future, it’s time to take the first step. Reclaim your 10 hours, and rediscover your focus.
At DBPSC Global Solutions, we connect you with skilled and reliable virtual professionals who help you handle the details—so you can focus on growth, innovation, and what truly drives your business forward. Let’s build smarter systems, lighten your workload, and move your business closer to success—one delegated task at a time.
Start your journey today. Visit DBPSC Global Solution or contact us to discover how the right VA partnership can transform the way you work.
Contact Us
Please fill out the form below to get in touch.