The very first blog post I ever wrote on the very first business website I ever had was about the difference between multitasking and multijobbing. While I don’t remember exactly what I wrote, I remember the topic vividly — it was a time when multitasking was so over-glorified that people were stepping well beyond the boundaries of their professional wheelhouses in an attempt to excel at multitasking. But, what they were actually doing was crossing into the realm of what I call multijobbing.

Let me explain. Or, rather, let Tom explain. See Tom? Tom is multitasking — he is doing three tasks at once — vacuuming, dusting, sweeping. These are all things Tom knows how to do by virtue of the wonderfully domestic being he is.

Tom is not multijobbing. Why? Because he is not doing anything he’s never done before. He is great at housework. He’s not attempting to figure out how to do something that has nothing to do with his existing skillset or level of expertise. He’s not busying himself with the burden of learning things that are essential for his housecleaning business but leave him no time for cleaning houses … if you know what I mean.

A task is a piece of work that needs to be done. Multitasking is when one person carries out two more more tasks at the same time.

A job is a paid position of regular employment. Multijobbing is when one person does their job plus the job of one or more other people.

As a solopreneur or small business owner, you might feel you are required to multijob. Perhaps you think you can’t afford to hire people to do all the things that need to be done. Maybe you think you can do all those things faster by yourself and figure them out as you go along. Some people can. But, it’s not for everyone.

Example. You are an incredible coach, fitness instructor, yoga teacher, etc. You are a solopreneur. And you definitely need to multitask to get it all done.

But what about all the biz owner things you have no clue how to do? Those are other jobs. And the fact you don’t know how to do them is an invitation to examine just how far outside your wheelhouse they live. Can you easily learn these skills? Do you want to? Or would it be better to phone a friend, call for reinforcements … aka hire someone who is an expert at doing the things you don’t know how to do.

Let’s find out.

I am all about DIY-ing anything you can. Truly. It’s how I’ve honed many of my professional skills. However, DIY-ing everything has the potential to wreak havoc in two critical ways:

1. It can destroy your work life balance which, for many people, is what makes solopreneurship so attractive in the first place, and
2. It can throw the “working on your business” vs. “working in your business” alignment way out of whack.

If you are a solopreneur or small business owner, you have a lot on your plate. Everything from accounting to insurance to your website to social media to marketing and public relations to keeping up with legal requirements (contracts, disclaimers, terms of use, etc.) to managing employees. And, that doesn’t even include the time you need to spend rendering the professional services you offer.

If you are doing so many jobs to keep your business running that you don’t have enough time to do the things that actually make the business money, then it’s time for a shift. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. The same 168 hours in a week. So, let’s break it down.

Example. You are an incredible coach, fitness instructor, yoga teacher, etc. You are a solopreneur. And you definitely need to multitask to get it all done. There’s no question.

But … what about all the biz owner things you have no clue how to do?

Those are other jobs. And, the fact you don’t know how to do them is nothing to feel badly about. It’s not meant to paralyze you or overwhlem you in any way. In fact, it’s an invitation to examine and get clear on just how far outside your wheelhouse these things live. Can you easily learn these skills? Do you want to? Or would it be better to phone a friend, call for reinforcements, aka hire someone who is an expert at doing the things you don’t know how to do.

Not everyone can do all the jobs required for the success of a single business and actually continue thriving in the one area they do best, the skill that makes them money. And that’s OK.

What everyone can do is take a close look at exactly what they do with their time on a weekly basis and identify areas where they can make changes. Let’s start there.

Step 1

Unlock my free time study by hitting the “I WANT TO HACK MY 24 HOURS” button below.

Step 2

Check your email for a message from me with access to the time study. Jump into the Google Folder and read the instructions.

Step 3

Decide when you will complete the time study. Pick your week and stick with it.

Step 4

Using my formula, analyze your time study and see where you land. The areas where you are spending too much or not enough time will become clear very quickly. How many jobs are you actually doing and where would support be helpful?