Overwhelmed by Admin? Here’s How to Outsource, Tame Your Inbox, and Get Your Life Back!

Let’s be honest. There’s nothing quite like the terror of opening your inbox after a busy week (or day, or even hour), only to be greeted by hundreds of unread emails. It’s like they’re multiplying while you sleep. If you’ve ever felt the urge to throw your laptop out the window rather than face that digital chaos—well, I’m right there with you.

But don’t worry, help is here. In the latest episode of the Small Business Made Simple podcast, I had an amazing chat with Lisa from Life Balance Essentials. She’s been in the biz of life admin for 11 years, and trust me, she knows a thing or two about keeping everything from spiraling out of control.

In this blog, I’m sharing some of Lisa’s best insights on outsourcing, inbox management, and taming that never-ending to-do list. Let’s dive in and get you on track to running a smoother, more organized business and life.

Step 1: Outsource Like a Boss

Lisa’s biggest piece of advice? Outsource, outsource, outsource.

Here’s the thing: as a small business owner, you don’t have to do everything yourself. In fact, you shouldn’t. Focus on what you do best—running your business—and let others handle the tasks that bog you down, like admin, emails, and even paying bills. Lisa’s motto is clear: “We take care of your life so you can take care of your business.”

Start by looking at the areas in your life where you’re stretched thin. Whether it’s finding a virtual assistant, a bookkeeper, or using a concierge service like Lisa’s, the goal is to free up your time for the big stuff that really matters—like growing your business.

Step 2: Master Your Inbox with the 3-Step Rule

You know that feeling when you see a notification of 500 unread emails? It’s enough to make anyone cringe. But Lisa has a genius (and simple) solution: the 3-step rule for inbox management. Every email you receive should be one of the following:

1. Trash it – Delete the junk immediately. It doesn’t deserve your time.
2. Diarise it – If it requires action later, schedule it in your calendar. Don’t let it sit in your inbox.
3. File it – Need to keep it for reference? Move it into a designated folder right away.

This quick decision-making process keeps your inbox from becoming a black hole of tasks that never get done. Lisa also recommends taking 15 minutes at the start and end of each day to clear out the clutter. Your future self will thank you.

Step 3: Tame Your To-Do List

We’ve all been there—an ever-growing to-do list that feels impossible to conquer. You start out with good intentions, but by midday, you’re drowning in tasks. What if I told you that your to-do list could actually be your best friend, instead of your worst enemy?

Lisa’s advice: break down every task into 5-minute jobs. That big, scary project you keep putting off? Break it into tiny chunks that take just a few minutes each. Suddenly, it’s not so overwhelming anymore.

And here’s a golden nugget: every day, your to-do list should only include what you can realistically achieve. Don’t add a hundred things when you know you’ll only get through ten. The secret to feeling accomplished at the end of the day is completing that list, not just adding more to it.

Step 4: Leverage AI for Admin Tasks

We also touched on the future of admin—AI. While it might sound like something from a sci-fi movie, AI is already transforming the way small business owners handle their everyday tasks. Imagine an AI tool managing your inbox or even responding to emails on your behalf. It’s not a fantasy—tools like this are already being developed.

While you might not be ready to hand over your entire inbox to AI just yet, it’s worth exploring how these tools can streamline your business processes. Even something like ChatGPT can help you brainstorm ideas, draft emails, or organise your day.

Your Challenge: Take Action on Lisa’s Tips!

Now that you’ve got these killer strategies, it’s time to put them into action. Here’s your challenge for the week:

1. Try Lisa’s 3-step inbox rule – For one week, take 15 minutes every morning and evening to trash, diarise, or file each email. Notice how much more manageable your inbox feels!
2. Outsource one task – Whether it’s finding a virtual assistant or handing off bookkeeping to a pro, pick one thing that’s eating up your time and outsource it.
3. Break down a big task into 5-minute jobs – Take a project you’ve been avoiding and break it down into smaller tasks that only take a few minutes. Watch how quickly you make progress!

Bonus: Download Your Free Life Admin Checklist

To help you get started, I’ve created a downloadable Life Admin Checklist based on the tips from Lisa’s episode. This checklist will guide you through managing your inbox, organising your tasks, and outsourcing effectively. Download it below and take the first step toward simplifying your business and life!

Download the Life Admin Checklist

Final Thoughts:

Running a small business is hard enough without drowning in life admin, so take Lisa’s advice to heart. Outsource where you can, get that inbox under control, and start tackling your to-do list like the boss you are. If you haven’t already, head over and listen to the full podcast episode for even more actionable tips!

Your future organised self is going to love you for this.

Ready to take back control? Head to Small Business Made Simple and listen to the episode now!