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Are you making this mistake with automation?

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If you’ve been following me for more than 5 minutes, then you know I love automation. Actually, it’s more than just loving automation. I am passionate about it, it’s my zone of genius, and I get so much joy in sharing the power of automation with other coaches and consultants.

But there is a big mistake that I see people making when they automate parts of their business.

They jump straight into putting the process on autopilot without considering how effective the process is first. That’s not improving the process. It’s just putting a poor process on autopilot. 

Timothy Ferris, in his book The 4 Hour Workweek said:

“Never automate something that can be eliminated, and never delegate something that can be automated.”

Tim is a master in this area, and so instead of reinventing the wheel why not just use his wisdom and review our processes on his framework: 

Eliminate, Simplify, Automate, Delegate


So how do I review my processes under the ESAD framework?

First, I write out all the tasks in my business.

Then I work through the ESAD framework for each task, assessing its effectiveness in my business. 


Eliminate

The first part of the process is to eliminate anything that shouldn’t be done.

Look at the importance of your day-to-day tasks and determine whether you’re doing anything that isn’t necessary to your business or isn’t bringing in any meaningful results. 

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Does this task really have a place in my business? 
  • Does it really need to be done? 
  • Is this process taking my business in the right direction?

If the answer to any of these questions is No, then eliminate the task from your business. That’s it!

If the answer is yes, then move on to Simplify.


Simplify

So many of the processes that we carry out in our business each day comprise dozens (or hundreds) of micro processes and tasks. In simplifying, we want to clean this up.

To simplify each process, I include all the micro elements under the primary task so I’m really getting a birds eye view. Then I work through each step and determine whether I can do it in a more efficient or effective way.

There is only one question to ask at this stage:

  • Can I simplify this task?

If the answer is yes, simplify it.

If the answer is no, then I head to Automation


Automation - My favourite part

There are so many tools and SaaS that put the power of automation at your fingertips, so you’d be wasting your time (literally) not to use them. 

With all the options available to you it's overwhelming to know where to start, so here are some of my favourite tools for automation:

Simplero (for pretty much everything)

Acuity (for scheduling)

Basecamp (for assigning recurring tasks across my team)

CoSchedule (for social media scheduling)

Regardless of the tools you use, the key is to stop manually doing any tasks that you could put on autopilot.

So determining if we can automate it, ask yourself these questions:

  • Can I set up a system, machinery, or method to complete this task without me being involved? 
  • Can I do something that will make this process happen automatically?
  • Is there a tool that will automate this for me?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then automate the task!

If it’s no, then we move on to the last step in our ESAD framework…


Delegate.

If you can’t eliminate a mission critical process, and it’s too nuanced to be automated even with all the technology available, then we need to look at delegating it...or outsourcing if you don’t have a team. 

As a business owner, there are tasks that you just shouldn’t be doing yourself. Tasks that take you away from being able to work on growing and scaling your business, and getting stuck on working ‘in’ your business. 

Any low value routine activities that are left on your list after you’ve eliminated, simplified and automated should be delegated or outsourced if possible.

Delegating or outsourcing can challenge many business owners. We have expectations and standards and we often fall into a mindset of thinking that we are the only person who can do it a certain way and that no one else will ever do it as well as we do it. So we feel responsible to do #allthethings.

But this mindset is significantly limiting to success and happiness. 

When we delegate or outsource we are trading money for time... our money for someone else’s time. 

If your first thought is, I can’t afford that, then I want you to ask yourself this question:

  • How much is 1 hour of my time worth?
  • What can I outsource of delegate for less than that.


All too often we fall into the trap of thinking that our time doesn’t equate to money when we are working on something... but it does.

Delegate or outsource for your weaknesses, not your skills.

Delegate or outsource those things that you can’t or shouldn’t be doing.

Delegate or outsource those things that someone else could do at much less than your hourly rate.


So before you automate (which I highly recommend you do) be sure to eliminate and simplify first... then automate... and then you can delegate from there.


If you want to elevate your automation game then it’s time to join me inside The Automation Success Lab.

This is a community for female coaches, consultants and service providers to scale their businesses, extend their reach, boost their profits, take control of their time and focus on what lights them up, through the power of business automation.

 

And you can join in on all the automation goodness for 14 days for just $1. What do you have to lose? Seriously…

$1 for 14 days of community, motivation, accountability, automation and success…

 

I love this amazing community of women who are committed to themselves and their businesses and getting it done. 

 

And I’d love to have you as a part of it.

 

$1 for 14 days...what are you waiting for?

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