The average entrepreneur spends 36% of their time on admin tasks.
Yep—over a third of their workweek is going to things like inbox triage, juggling invoices, managing spreadsheets, and chasing down proposals.
Now don’t get me wrong—those things do matter. They’re the glue that keeps the business running. But when they start to take center stage, the work designers actually love—the creative, fulfilling, soul-sparking part of interior design—gets pushed to the sidelines.
No interior designer started their business to become a full-time admin. They started it because they love design. Because they thrive on creating beautiful spaces, connecting with clients, and bringing ideas to life.
But somewhere along the way, their time got hijacked. And now? It’s filled with everything except the reason they started in the first place. And they’re left wondering if there’s any way out of this endless cycle of busy work.
The answer? Yes! In this blog, I’ll show you how you can easily get back to fully focusing on the projects that give you joy.
The Hidden Cost of Doing It All Yourself
Before we jump straight into finding a solution to your admin overwhelm, I want to first help you understand why spending so much of your time on admin tasks could be hurting your business.
Trying to tackle every part of your business yourself might feel like the responsible thing to do—but in reality, it can quietly sabotage both your productivity and your profit. Here’s why:
1. You’re Spending Time on Low-Value Tasks
Not all tasks are created equal. When you spend hours on things like scheduling, invoicing, or email follow-ups, you’re using high-value time on low-impact work. Yes, admin work matters and has to get done to make your business successful, but your energy should go into designing, meeting clients, sourcing furniture—or other revenue-generating activities.
2. You’re the Bottleneck
When everything depends on you, progress slows. Projects stall waiting for your input, client responses get delayed, and your ability to scale is capped by your personal capacity.
3. Burnout Kills Creativity
Doing everything is downright exhausting. And when you’re burned out, your creative energy—the thing that makes your business unique—starts to fade. That’s bad for your overall well-being, for business morale, and for productivity.
4. Multitasking = Mistakes
Switching constantly between design work, admin, and client communication makes it easy to overlook details. Important emails go unanswered. Invoices are late. Errors creep into your process, and that can hurt your reputation and your bottom line.
5. You Can’t Scale Alone
Sustainable growth requires systems and support. If you’re trying to scale without delegating, you’re building your business on a shaky foundation—one that will eventually collapse under the weight of “too much.”
The truth? You’re not supposed to do it all.
Identify Low-Value Tasks…Then Delegate Them
So how do you get out of this endless cycle of busy work when those tasks still need to get done?
The first step is to identify where your time is actually going. Track everything—yes, everything. From emails to marketing to scrolling Pinterest for that perfect accent chair. Then ask yourself:
- Does this task move the needle in my business?
- Could someone else do this task just as well, or better, than I can?
You’ll recognize your low-value tasks by these qualities:
- They drain your energy
- They keep you busy, but not productive
- They don’t require your unique zone of genius
Once you identify these tasks, delegate them. Delegating doesn’t mean giving up control—it means creating space to grow. To lead. To focus on what only you can do.
And that is where your time—and your profit—belongs.
Begin by categorizing your tasks so you know what kind of expert to seek out. For many designers, their low-value tasks will fall into one of these three categories:
Admin Tasks, Communication, and Followup
- Emails, proposals, invoices
- Chasing quotes, answering routine questions, sending reminders
- Vendor communication and order tracking
Design Presentation Prep
- 3D renderings, presentation creation, and mood board design
Social Media and Marketing Help
- Creating content and elevating your brand
- Posting, engagement, content scheduling
These tasks are important—but they don’t require your designer brain. Delegating them to a skilled virtual assistant frees up space for designing, client relationships, business strategy, and creative growth.
Real Impact: Time You Get Back
But wait, delegating tasks costs money…right? Yes, it is an investment, but the ROI is 100% worth it. You’re not just outsourcing busy work…you’re creating space for growth. Here’s what this could look like.
Jordin hires a virtual assistant to take on her low-value tasks—calendar management, sourcing follow-ups, proposal formatting, and weekly content scheduling. This gives her back 10 hours a week.
Now, Jordin uses those 10 hours for the following:
- Result: One signs a $15K design package.
- 3 hours – Revises and refines her service offerings and updates her pricing.
Result: She raises her rates by 15% for future projects. - 2 hours – Reconnects with 3 past clients to check in and offer seasonal refresh services.
Result: Books 1 quick-turn project at $2,500. - 2 hours – Recreates her client onboarding process and proposal template for quicker turnaround.
Result: Speeds up her pitch-to-contract time by 50%, helping her land jobs faster. - 1 hour – Grabs coffee with a potential client, answering their questions and demonstrating that care and attention are a unique part of her brand.
Result: Signs on a new client who just needed a little convincing to move forward.
But here’s the best part. Now that Jordin has time to focus on the heart of her business—creativity, relationships, and delivering stunning results—her clients are singing her praises and sending referrals her way.
All because she said yes to a little support and made room for big growth.
An Interior Design-Specialized Virtual Assistant is The Way to Go
For many interior designers, one of the biggest hurdles to delegation is that little voice in their head whispering, “It’s just easier if I do it myself.”
This is totally understandable—especially in a creative field like interior design, where details matter and your brand voice is everything.
Here’s how you can overcome this apprehension: hire a virtual assistant who specializes in interior design.
These aren’t just general VAs—they get the industry. They understand what a design purchase order and a proposal look like. They know what a mood board is and how to format a client presentation. They speak your language—and that makes handing off tasks a lot easier.
When your VA already gets your world, delegation doesn’t feel like a risk—it feels like relief. You spend less time explaining, double-checking, or fixing mistakes…and more time actually designing.
Ready to get back valuable hours in your day?
At Hannah Bowyer and Co., we offer a variety of services for interior designers, including Dubsado support, virtual design assistance, and marketing assistance. We’re fluent in the industry and create a client experience that elevates your entire business. I’d love to connect and show you how we can help.
