10 Signs You’re Doing Too Much in Your Business (And What to Delegate First)

I’ll be honest, there was a moment early on in my business journey when I found myself replying to emails with a new-born in one arm, a cold cup of tea in the other and my brain juggling five to-do lists at once. Sound familiar?

Running a business (especially one you really care about) often comes with the side effect of trying to do everything. But here’s the hard truth: doing too much can actually hold your business back.

So how do you know when you’ve crossed the line from “hardworking founder” to “overloaded and in need of help”? Here are ten signs you might be doing too much - and what to actually hand over first.

10 Signs You're Doing Too Much in Your Business

1. You can’t remember the last time you had a proper lunch break.

If eating a sandwich while on Zoom has become your new normal, it’s time to reassess.

2. You're constantly context switching.

Jumping from client work to invoices to social media to lead magnets? That mental gear switching costs you time and energy.

3. Your to do list never ends - and it’s mostly admin.

If your list is filled with repetitive tasks like email follow ups, data entry, or invoice chasing, you’re not working on your business - you’re drowning in it.

4. You’re the bottleneck.

Everything needs your approval, your input, your action. That’s not scalable or sustainable.

5. You say things like, “It’s quicker if I just do it myself.”

We’ve all said it, but if you find yourself always saying it, delegation isn’t the problem - your process is.

6. Your energy is gone by 3pm (and you haven’t touched your creative work).

When your best energy is spent on admin, your zone of genius suffers.

7. You're missing deadlines or forgetting things.

If sticky notes are falling off your desk and your calendar’s a mess, it’s time to call in backup.

8. You know you should be outsourcing, but don’t know where to start.

The overwhelm of delegating can feel just as big as the overwhelm of doing it all. But it doesn’t have to.

9. You’ve stopped doing the things that bring you joy in your business.

If connecting with clients, creating content, or dreaming big has taken a backseat, that’s a big red flag.

10. You feel guilty when you aren’t working.

You’ve internalised hustle so deeply that rest feels wrong. Let’s fix that.

So What Should You Delegate First?

If you’re nodding along, the good news is you don’t need to figure this all out alone.

Here’s a simple starting point - delegate the tasks that are repetitive, time consuming and not in your zone of genius.

At In Tune Business Solutions, we work closely with family centred entrepreneurs to help them to grow and scale their businesses sustainably without losing their personal touch. Some of the most impactful tasks to delegate to a Virtual Assistant include:

• Email and diary management - Keeping you focused on high priority tasks, freeing you from the clutter and making sure your time is used strategically

• Client onboarding and support - Creating seamless, professional experiences that don’t drain your time

• Project and task management support - So nothing slips through the cracks

• Content creation and publishing - Whether it’s blogs, email campaigns, social media or Canva documents

• Tech system updates and automations - Ensuring your tools are streamlined and working together, so you can focus on what matters most without getting bogged down by tech issues

• Bookkeeping and invoice management - No more chasing payments at 9pm!

• Admin for courses, memberships and digital products - Smooth behind the scenes operations

• Team coordination and support - Helping you delegate further and manage your team with ease

  
  

Letting go of even a few of these tasks can open up hours in your week and more headspace than you thought possible.

Ready to Delegate Without the Overwhelm?

I created a free workbook to help you figure out exactly what to hand over, when and how to do it well (without micromanaging). Inside you’ll find space to map out your current workload, decide what to delegate and begin your journey to a calmer, more productive business.

🎁 Download your free copy of Delegating for Success: How to Boost Your Productivity and Reduce Overwhelm. 

Or if you’re ready to skip the trial and error and actually bring on a trusted pair of hands - 📞 book a free discovery call to chat about how our VA team can help here.

You don’t have to do this all alone anymore. Let’s lighten the load - together.