Caught in the Admin Weeds? Here’s How to Get Back to the Growth Work

Three simple shifts to spend less time managing and more time marketing.

I’ll be honest—between my husband and me, we’ve spent hours on admin tasks. You know, the never-ending emails, scheduling, invoices, file organization, and the “quick” follow-ups that somehow eat up half the day.

It’s all important, but here’s the truth: admin work doesn’t grow your business—marketing does. And if you’re anything like us, you’ve probably realized that the more time you spend on admin, the less energy (and creativity) you have left for the activities that actually bring in new clients and income.

So, how do you keep from getting buried in the busywork and get back to the growth work? Here are three ways to keep yourself out of the weeds and focused where it matters most.

1. Batch and Block Your Admin Time

Instead of letting admin tasks take over your day, give them a home. Choose one or two short blocks a week (such as Tuesday and Friday mornings) to handle all your administrative work—emails, invoicing, scheduling, etc.

When it’s admin time, do admin. When it’s marketing time, do marketing. No crossovers, no distractions. You’d be amazed at how much mental clarity comes from not switching gears constantly.

2. Automate the Boring Stuff

If you find yourself doing the same task over and over, it’s a sign that something needs automating.

Use tools that take work off your plate:

• Schedule social posts with software like Buffer or Later.

• Set up canned email responses or templates for repeat conversations.

• Automate invoices and payment reminders through your accounting platform.

A few hours spent setting up systems now will save dozens later.

3. Delegate Before You Desperately Need To

Here’s the tough love: if you’re spending more time managing tasks than growing your business, it’s time to get help.

A virtual assistant (VA)—yes, people like me—can take the admin load off so you can focus on the money-making activities that only you can do. Even a few hours a week can make a huge difference.

The bottom line?

If you want your business to grow, your focus needs to shift from maintenance to momentum.

Admin work keeps things running. Marketing moves things forward. And when you carve out more time for the latter, you’ll start seeing the kind of results that remind you why you started in the first place.

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