Still Doing It All? Here’s How to Finally Let Go

Being busy isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a sign of a broken system. James and VirtualDOO's Lloyd Thompson discuss how to fix it and get back to doing only what matters most.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 42:16 — 58.8MB)

Most founders don’t start a business to become busier. But that’s what often happens.

Instead of more freedom, they end up doing more tasks, making more decisions, and holding everything together themselves.

That’s the trap James and VirtualDOO’s Lloyd Thompson unpacked in their latest podcast conversation. And the fix? It’s not more systems. It’s ownership.

Want more freedom as you grow? Let’s chat.

Table of contents:

1. Doing it all feels faster, but it costs more
2. Real delegation starts with ownership
3. Let your team write the system
4. Use your calendar to find what to fix
5. Start with deletion before you delegate
6. Train for resilience, not reliance
7. The goal is a business that runs without you

Doing it all feels faster, but it costs more

James shares how easy it is to fall into the habit of doing everything yourself. It feels fast and productive at first.

But over time, it becomes a problem. Founders stay stuck, and their team learns to depend on them for everything.

Lloyd points out, real leverage doesn’t come from repetition. It comes from handing things off, properly.

Download How to Get Out of the Day-to-Day in Your Business (and the PDF transcription)

Real delegation starts with ownership

A lot of founders think SOPs will save them. But as Lloyd explains, documentation without ownership is just noise.

Delegating a task doesn’t work if no one feels responsible for the outcome. It just boomerangs back.

The better approach? Pick a task that’s draining. Record yourself doing it. Walk a team member through it live. Then hand it over and let them take it from there.

Let your team write the system

James and Lloyd both agree: If you write all the SOPs, you’ll always be the middleman.

But when the person doing the work writes and updates the process, something shifts. They own it. They improve it. And they keep it running without you.

That’s how you build real systems, not just documents.

Use your calendar to find what to fix

If you’re not sure where to start, Lloyd suggests looking at your calendar. It’s a simple but revealing tool.

What’s filling your week? What feels heavy? What shows up again and again?

Those are the areas where handover has the most leverage.

Start with deletion before you delegate

James makes a key point during the conversation: Not every task needs to be delegated.

Start by asking, “Does this even need to be done?” If the answer is no, delete it. If yes, delegate or automate.

That order matters.

Train for resilience, not reliance

Lloyd also emphasizes the importance of redundancy.

If only one person knows how to do something, your business is fragile. But if two or more people can handle it, your team becomes more resilient, and you become less essential.

The goal is a business that runs without you

James wraps it up with a clear takeaway.

The goal isn’t to work less by doing more. It’s to build a business that can run without your constant input.

That means clear responsibilities, strong ownership, and systems that grow with your team, not around you.

The true test is this: Can your team make the right call without checking in with you first? If the answer is yes, you’re doing it right.

That’s what real freedom looks like.

Free up your time and do more of what you love – VirtualDOO.com

Level up with the James Schramko membership: mentoring, strategies, community

Enjoyed the show? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Grab your copy of Work Less, Make More! James went from working a full-time job to running a profitable business, having the freedom to travel, surf and spend time with family, and in his book you will find everything you need to know about how you can actualize the life you want, so you too can finally work less, and make more!