Let others drive while you rest

Imagine an orchestra without a conductor—each musician playing at full blast but no harmony. That’s you, signing off invoices, scheduling meetings, answering emails, and chasing late comedians for fees. All with a baton of stress pointed at your head.

Delegation isn’t weakness—it’s skill. In management science, the principle of leverage shows your output multiplies when you assign non-core tasks. Look at a top executive—they rarely send their own calendar invites but make high-impact decisions.

I learned this the hard way in Kenya, rewriting a TV recap at dawn and missing the elephant sanctuary tour. Exhaustion made joy impossible. I hired my first assistant after that trip. At first I panicked—could I instruct someone precisely? After a few trials, I realized clear briefs and trust unlocked hours I’d lost to minutiae.

Delegation is a muscle you build. The stronger it gets, the more room you have to thrive.

Pick one repetitive task you resent, find someone who can do it, and hand them a clear brief tomorrow. Give them the tools and a deadline, then step back and savor the time you’ve reclaimed. Give it a go.