If you've taken that crucial step and started handing your time-consuming admin tasks over to an assistant, first of all, congratulations! No more drowning in email management, invoice processing, or calendar juggling. Someone else is handling all that stuff now, and honestly, they're probably doing it more efficiently than you ever did.

But here's what nobody tells you when you start offloading admin as a small business owner. You may be so used to working flat out every single day, then suddenly you're staring at blocks of free time in your calendar, and you're not quite sure what to do with them.

It's like finally cleaning out that junk drawer in your kitchen. Chances are, you needed that space for a reason. If you let it fill back up with the same old clutter, you’re right back at square one.

So what should you do with that freed-up time?

According to a study by McKinsey & Company, those who prioritize high-impact activities are 2.3 times more likely to achieve above-average financial performance for their business. So the answer isn't to fill that time with more busy work. The key is identifying what those high-impact activities actually are for your specific business.

Defining "high-value" and "high-impact" work

We hear these buzzwords all the time. But what do they actually mean in the context of being a founder?

“High-value” work is anything that directly affects your bank account or strengthens your business foundation. If you can draw a clear line between the activity and money in your pocket, it’s high value.

“High-impact” work is about creating lasting change that benefits your business for months or years to come. The results might not show up in next month’s revenue report, but they’ll compound over time and are essential for long-term growth by positioning your business for sustainable success.

The important thing to remember is that every founder’s version of high-value, high-impact work will look a little different.

For example, a tech startup founder might focus heavily on product development and investor relations, while a service-based business owner might prioritize client relationships and team development. The important thing is identifying what moves your specific business forward.

Five things to focus on now that you’re not buried in admin

This is your moment to shift from working in your business to working on your business.

Whether you’ve gained back a few hours a week or whole days at a time, these are the areas that often get pushed aside when you’re drowning in paperwork, yet have the power to transform your business when given proper attention.

1. Vision and strategy

Remember when you first started your business? You probably had this crystal-clear vision of where you wanted to go and how you were going to get there. But somewhere between managing invoices and scheduling meetings, that big-picture strategic thinking got pushed to the back burner.

Now's your chance to step back and really assess the bigger picture. Use this freed-up time to refine your business goals, explore new markets, and do some serious long-term planning.

For example:

• Where is your business headed? What is your vision for one year, two years, and five years from now?
• Are you meeting your target audience and providing the best service possible? Is it time to branch out, offering your products or services to new markets? Maybe there’s an untapped market where you can grow your success beyond your current expectations.
• Be honest with yourself, and think about what opportunities you’ve let pass by because you’ve been too caught up in admin tasks to give them the time and energy they need. Grab this opportunity to explore new possibilities.

See: How To Be More Strategic In Your Business With The Help Of A Virtual Assistant

2. Revenue-generating activities

Revenue is the one thing that every business needs to survive.

This might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many small business owners get so caught up in “important” administrative tasks that they forget the most important task of all: making money.

By reducing the time spent on administrative work, you can focus on activities that directly impact your bottom line. Founders consistently report that when they shift their focus to revenue-generating activities, their ROI skyrockets almost immediately.

Whether you have an extra few minutes or a full day, here are a few smart ways to use that freed-up time to bring more money into your small business:

• Strengthen client relationships: Reach out, check in, and genuinely connect with your existing clients. Happy clients are more likely to renew, refer, and grow with you, and it all starts with consistent, thoughtful communication.
• Follow up on hot leads or proposals: Instead of letting warm opportunities go cold, you can now stay on top of follow-ups and keep momentum going. A timely nudge or a thoughtful response can often be the difference between a missed opportunity and a signed contract.
• Create new offers, upsells, or service tiers: With breathing room in your schedule, you’ve got the headspace to get creative. Develop new ways to serve your audience, add extra value, or reach a slightly different market by re-packaging what you already do best.
• Network: Attend industry events and conferences, meet with potential strategic partners, and even consider collaborating with other small and medium-sized brands that are aligned with your vision and story. Networking can help you grow stronger together.

The key is being selective about which revenue activities you pursue. Not all money-making opportunities are worth your time. Focus on the ones that align with your strengths and long-term business goals.

3. Product or service improvement

Take a peek at your notes app right now.

Our money says that it’s filled with amazing ideas to improve or reinvent your product or services, that there just hasn’t been the time to explore and implement.

Now you have the time to dig in and bring those brilliant ideas to life.

• Gather feedback from your best customers: Have meaningful conversations with the people who already love what you do. Find out what’s working for them, what could be better, and what they’d love to see next. Their insights can be gold for improving and refining your offer.
• Identify where your offer could be stronger, faster, easier, or more appealing: Look at your product or service through fresh eyes. Where do people get stuck? What feels clunky or complicated? What would make it feel like a no-brainer for your ideal client? Small tweaks can lead to big leaps in value.
• Test a new feature, service add-on, or packaging approach: Experiment with ways to deliver more value or appeal to different customer needs. That might mean bundling services, offering a fast-track option, or rolling out a simple add-on that makes a big difference. Be sure to set aside time to assess progress on these improvements, so you can evaluate what’s working and make adjustments as needed.
• Revisit your pricing strategy: Pricing isn’t set in stone. With space to think more strategically, now’s a good time to assess whether your pricing reflects the true value you provide. Are you charging enough for your time, expertise, and results? Could you offer tiered pricing or introduce a premium option? Strategic adjustments here can boost revenue without adding more work.
• Take a fresh look at your competitors: While you were knee-deep in admin tasks, chances are your competitors were busy leveling up their offerings. You’re not looking to copy anyone, but understanding what’s resonating can give you valuable clues about what your shared audience is looking for and how expectations might be shifting.

4. Team-building and culture

A strong, healthy team culture doesn’t build itself. And while you can hire a virtual assistant for a lot of things, the tone and values you set as a founder aren’t one of them. That part starts with you.

When your team feels genuinely seen, heard, and supported, they don’t just “do their jobs”—they bring their best thinking, their energy, and their loyalty. That kind of buy-in creates a ripple effect you’ll feel in your client experience, your bottom line, and your overall momentum.

Now that the admin clutter’s off your plate, you’ve got the time and headspace to lead in a way that inspires, motivates, and brings out the best in everyone around you. That means investing time in:

• Having real conversations (not just check-ins): Go beyond task updates. Ask how they’re doing, what they’re excited about, or where they feel stuck. Open dialogue builds trust, and trust builds high-performing teams.
• Coaching, mentoring, and checking in: Whether it’s formal one-on-ones or casual Slack chats, your attention and encouragement can unlock someone’s potential in ways a performance review never will.
• Defining (or refreshing) your company values: What does your business stand for? And more importantly, how do those values show up in everyday decisions, interactions, and priorities? Revisit your values and make sure they’re more than just words on a wall.
• Creating shared rituals or team gatherings: These don’t have to be big events or cliché team-building activities (although we’re not completely discouraging them either). A weekly win-sharing session, a monthly virtual hangout, or even a shared playlist can help people feel connected, especially in remote or hybrid teams.

5. Personal growth and recovery

This one’s easy to ignore, and just as easy to underestimate.

When things get busy, your own development and well-being often fall to the bottom of the list. But here’s the thing: you’re the engine behind your business. And when you’re running on empty, everything else starts to stall—your creativity, your decision-making, your leadership, your relationships, and your health.

Now that you’ve freed up time by offloading admin, who says you have to fill every spare hour with more work?

• Learn something new: Whether it's reading that book that’s been gathering dust, signing up for a short course, or working with a coach, feeding your brain with fresh ideas is often where the next big breakthrough comes from.
• Take a real break: Yes, a proper one. Not a working lunch or a “quick scroll” through emails on your day off. We're talking a short walk for some fresh air, a proper lunch away from your screen, a mid-afternoon nap, or an actual vacation where you can fully unplug. Rest and recovery aren’t a luxury you have to earn; it’s what allows you to come back sharper and stronger.
• Catch up on the basics: Sleep, movement, meals—you know the drill. These are usually the first to go when things get busy, so use your reclaimed time to get back into rhythms that support the best version of yourself.

See: Bridging The Self-Care Gap: A Founder's Guide To Prioritizing Well-Being

Avoiding the “time-fill trap”

Remember what we said about the junk drawer in the kitchen? And how, despite our best intentions, we often revert to throwing things in there without thinking?

Well, once you start lightening your workload, that same instinct can kick in.

When you’re used to being constantly busy, it’s natural to try and fill the newfound space in your schedule. And whether we realize it or not, we often gravitate towards more familiar tasks and low-stakes activities instead of the bigger, more meaningful work we now have the capacity to do.

For example, you might find yourself:

• Micromanaging your team members on things they’ve got handled.
• Scrolling through social media “for research”.
• Reorganizing files and folders (again).
• Tinkering with new tools you don’t actually need.

This is what we call the “time-fill trap.”

Falling victim to this trap risks undoing the very progress you made by delegating tasks in the first place. That valuable space you freed up gets eaten by distractions in disguise.

This is why it’s so important to be vigilant against all these potential threats to your newly unlocked potential. Keep checking in with yourself by asking, “Is this the best use of my time as a founder?”

If the answer is no, then it probably belongs on your virtual assistant’s plate, or it doesn’t need doing at all. Focus on tasks that require your immediate attention and delegate the rest.

What's the bottom line?

Offloading administrative tasks was just the first step. Once you start clearing your plate of repetitive, routine tasks, you’re holding something incredibly valuable in your hands: space.

The kind that lets you think more clearly, get back on track, and actually enjoy running your business again.

So if you ever feel tempted to fill your calendar back up with busywork, take a breath and remind yourself why you handed them over in the first place.

You’ve earned this space, now it's time to make it count. Use it wisely, and you’ll be amazed at what becomes possible.

Need a top-tier virtual assistant to take care of your admin tasks?

Time etc has got your back.

We help busy founders like you create that much-needed space that's missing from their hectic lives. We connect them with skilled, experienced virtual assistants to handle the distracting admin that keeps them stressed and stalled.

We know the last thing you need is more time-consuming tasks on your plate, so we take care of everything. From finding top-tier talent to managing all the admin and HR stuff that comes with hiring, we do it all so you don't have to.

Just get in touch with our team to let us know what you need, and you could have a professional, pre-vetted assistant in just 1-2 days.

No hiring headaches, no time wasted, just reliable, personalized support at up to 90% less than the cost of hiring in-house.

P.S. Want $150 off your first month of virtual assistant support? Answer a few quick questions to get personalized task recommendations and unlock a welcome discount!