Delegating is hard.
If you google for delegation tips or delegation systems, you’ll find a lot of advice that doesn’t really fit you as an entrepreneur. Most of it doesn’t help you make the best use of your time.
You want to grow your business and focus on the things you actually enjoy. Let’s be honest - that’s probably why you started your business in the first place.
If you’re asking yourself, “I want to delegate, but where do I start?” - you’re in the right place.
Let me show you my go-to tip for better delegation, the one I recommend to all my clients: the Delegation Compass. 🧭
How can it help you? 🛟
Your to do list is full of tasks that drain your energy or don't light you up?
Imagine using that time for things that make you happy and help your business grow.
- ❌ Too much time spent on tasks that drain your energy and don’t bring in money.
- ✅ More time for the things that make you happy and grow your business.
What is the Delegation Compass? 🧐
👉 The Delegation Compass is a simple matrix. It helps you sort your tasks and decide what to do yourself - and what to delegate or automate.
If you’re stuck doing tasks that no longer align with your goals, this tool can help you regain clarity and focus - and enjoy your day-to-day work again. ✨
What do the four areas of the Delegation Compass mean? 🤔
The Compass has two axes: Brings you joy 🤩 and Brings you money 💸 . This keeps your focus on growing your business while doing what you love.
Do Area 💪
These tasks bring you money and joy. Spend most of your time here.
Invest Area 📈
These don’t make money (yet) but you enjoy them. See them as an investment in your energy or creativity.
Delegate Area
These don’t bring you money or joy. Start by handing off these tasks first.
Exchange Area 🔁
These bring in money but don’t bring you joy. They drain your energy and should be delegated, automated, or replaced.
Want to get started right away? Download your Delegation Compass PDF.
How the Delegation Compass works 🤓
Step 1: Make a list of all your tasks. 📋
Include both business and personal to-dos.
Step 2: Sort your tasks into the Delegation Compass 🧭
Ask yourself: “Do I enjoy this?” and “Does this make me money?” Use the answers to place each task into one of the four areas. You might already spot a few tasks you can completely remove - go ahead and cross those off.
Step 3: Look closely at the tasks in the Delegate Area 👀
Think about who could take them over. Maybe a team member comes to mind.
If you don’t have a team yet, consider working with a Virtual Assistant (VA). Not sure what a VA is? In short: a VA is like a personal assistant, but works remotely and usually by the hour – great if you’re just starting to delegate.
Step 4: Start delegating your first tasks ✨
Begin with small, easy ones. At first, your VA or team may have lots of questions – that’s okay. Make time to answer them, give clear feedback, and don’t get discouraged by small mistakes. Over time, you’ll feel confident delegating more.
Step 5: Look at the Exchange Area 👀
You’ve delegated your first tasks and freed up time – great job! 🙌
Now move on to the Exchange Area. Ask yourself: "Who on your team could take these over?" "Can any of them be automated?" If your VA has experience with tools like PowerAutomate, Zapier or Make, perfect! If not, ask them to find someone who does ✅ Some tasks might become fun again if you change how you do them - try it out! You can always go back and choose to automate or delegate later.
Step 6: Revisit the Delegation Compass regularly 🔁
Your workday should now feel more fun and focused. But don’t stop here - go back to the Delegation-Compass often and re-sort your to-dos. That way, you’ll stay productive and keep doing what lights you up.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Avoid these when using the Delegation Compass:
❌ “But I kind of enjoy this…” – Be honest. If you have to think about it, it probably doesn’t bring you joy.
❌ “I’ve always done this myself…” – Let go. Just because you’ve always done it doesn’t mean you still should.
✅ Be consistent – The Compass only works if you take action.
Delegation Compass vs Eisenhower Matrix 🥊🔔
You may have heard of the Eisenhower Matrix. It sorts tasks by Urgent and Important.
But for you as entrepreneur, that approach often misses the mark. You chose this path for more freedom and self-direction. The Eisenhower Matrix doesn’t ask:
- 💬 “Do I even enjoy this?”
- 💬 “Does this fit my role as an entrepreneur?”
- 💬 “Does this help grow my business?”
That’s where the Delegation Compass comes in. It helps you focus on what matters to you – and delegate or automate the rest. You can still use the Eisenhower Matrix to manage your Do Area, but it’s not ideal for deciding what to delegate.
Final Thoughts 🚀
The Delegation Compass is a simple but powerful tool to help you delegate better.
But remember: it’s not a one-time thing. Come back to it regularly and re-sort your tasks. You’ll be surprised how much changes over time 😉
Got a long list of tasks to delegate, but no VA yet? Book a call with me or message me on WhatsApp – we’ll work through your to-dos together 💪
Wondering how to communicate tasks clearly to your team? That’s the topic of my next article → stay tuned ✨
