If I disappeared from my business tomorrow, what would stop?

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WHY THIS MATTERS

You can't hand off what you can't see. Most photographers carry dozens of small, invisible tasks. Writing them down shows you, often for the first time, that much of your business doesn't actually need you.

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WHAT TO DO

Go through the task list below (we've pre-filled 40+ common tasks). For each one, answer Does it require me?, then choose STOP, AUTOMATE, DELEGATE or SIMPLIFY.

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WHEN TO DO IT

Right after your dates, 12–16 weeks before your due date. Allow 45 minutes, or do one category a day.

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How to do the audit

  1. Scan the list. Delete tasks you don't do. Add anything that's missing (open your sent emails, calendar and CRM from the last month for reminders).
  2. Answer "Does it require me?" honestly. Choose Only me, I've just always done it, or No. The middle answer is where the freedom is.
  3. Note what happens if it stops. Be specific. "Nothing for 3 months" is a very useful answer.
  4. Choose a decision. Use the guide below. The Common choice column shows what many photographers choose, as a starting point, not a rule.
  5. Fill in who or what handles it and any setup needed. Automations and delegated tasks then get set up in their own pages.

Choosing a decision

Ask yourself If yes
Would anything bad happen if this simply didn't happen for 3–6 months? STOP
Does it happen the same way every time, triggered by a date or an action? AUTOMATE
Could a trained person do it 80% as well with clear instructions? DELEGATE
Does it need to continue, but could it be smaller, slower or less frequent? SIMPLIFY

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Notice how many tasks land in STOP. That's not your business falling apart. That's your business resting. Most of what you stop will be easy to restart, and some of it you may decide never to restart at all.

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When you're done, open the AUTOMATE and DELEGATE views and link each task to its row in the Automation Center or Delegation Hub using the relation columns. That way nothing gets decided and then forgotten.

My Business Tasks

Business Tasks