We just love our new home in Smyrna, Tennessee (about 20 minutes Southeast of Nashville). There are 17 beautiful trees on .68 acres and a rather large lawn to mow.
I suppose I could mow it, if I wanted to. I could spend some time shopping for the best deal on a lawn mower, maybe even check out Craig’s list (www.craigslist.org) or eBay for a good used mower.
Oh yeah, then I’d have to get some other yard grooming tools like an edger/trimmer, blower, etc.
Then I’d have to spend about 3 hours every week to 10 days actually mowing and maintaining the lawn.
I could do all of these things, but I don’t want to. I mowed enough lawns when I was growing up. I mowed our lawn to earn an allowance. That’s right, I had to earn my allowance. I didn’t get something for nothing. Thank you, mom and dad, for teaching me this valuable lesson.
I mowed the neighbor’s lawns to earn extra money to buy drums, sticks and heads.
One of the greatest gifts my parents gave me was not giving me everything I wanted. They gave me everything I needed: food, shelter, unconditional love and support. I had to work for the things I wanted. This taught me to appreciate and value the things I had to work for to get.
I haven’t mowed a lawn in over 13 years. Why? Because I’d rather do something else like read a book to increase my knowledge or write an article or go to karate class.
Delegation makes sense financially and productively.
If you make $50,000 per year, then your time is worth $25 per hour. If you can pay someone $15 per hour to mow your lawn, then you experience a net gain of $10 per hour.
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Hours per week:
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40
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Weeks per year:
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50
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Hours per year:
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2,000
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Annual Income
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Time Is Worth
Per Hour |
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$25,000.00
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$12.50
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$35,000.00
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$17.50
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$40,000.00
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$20.00
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$45,000.00
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$22.50
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$50,000.00
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$25.00
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$60,000.00
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$30.00
|
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$75,000.00
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$37.50
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$100,000.00
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$50.00
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$200,000.00
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$100.00
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$600,000.00
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$300.00
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If you absolutely love washing your car, mowing your lawn, or changing your oil, then by all means do it. But if you’re only doing it to save a few dollars, you have to weigh how effective this strategy is versus delegating.
If you derive pleasure from the activity, then do it! Don’t deprive yourself of simple pleasures that contribute to your happiness.
But if you don’t really like doing it and you can pay someone else less than you make per hour, then delegating would be the wise thing to do. This frees up your time to do what you’re best at and enjoy doing (presumably), which makes you the most money and contributes to your peace of mind and happiness.
Bottom line? Increased productivity and happiness!