EPISODE 50: HOW TO DELEGATE WELL IN LIFE AND AT WORK WITH MARY HUDDLESTON, MRS. SOUTHERN SOCIAL
Live Date: March 15th, 2021
Show Description: Southern hospitality. Tradition with a twist. A bit of sarcasm. That’s what you’ll get today from our guest, Mary Huddleston, also known as Mrs. Southern Social, and let me tell you–she’s a breath of fresh air! Mary and her husband own a luxury events rental company in Nashville, but at Mrs. Southern Social it’s her goal to share life hacks and great resources with women to help them get all the things done. Today, we’re talking about the art of delegating: how to ditch the mindset that we have to do it all ourselves, identifying the areas that can (and can’t) be delegated, and some practical, baby steps to get started in the art of delegating.
This episode will teach you:
How to ditch the pressure to do it all
The most beneficial area(s) to delegate in your life
How to enjoy entertaining
What things you should absolutely be doing yourself
Baby steps to get started in delegating
How to make your life easier by delegating things you don’t enjoy
The Big 3 – Biggest Takeaways:
To an extent, women can’t have and do it all–it’s a give and take, and something always has to give, whether that’s family, work, or life’s extras. Mary started Mrs. Southern Social to provide women with hacks to keep life special and enjoyable, while getting all the things done.
Oftentimes, on the business side, delegating allows others to shine while operating in their strengths, and it allows you to let go of control and realize that you don’t have to do it all in order for it to be done well.
The key to delegating well, in work and in motherhood, is to distinguish between the things you can and can’t delegate. To do this, you must identify the things that only you can do in both spaces, and then let go of whatever pressure or expectations are causing you to hold on to the rest. Drive carpool? Someone else can do that. Cheer your children on at their sports game? That’s only you.
Quotables:
“I got to this point in life where I was working, raising two kids, trying to kind of do it all, because I think a lot of women, especially in today’s society, are told you can have it all and you can do it all. And I think that’s not true.” Mary Huddleston 5:23
“If mama is stressed, everyone is stressed.” Mary Huddleston 13:40
“And I think what I have found is that when I’m not as stressed, when I am delegating at times when I don’t really want to, but because I need to, then when I’m actually present or when I can be there, I’m really there because I’ve gotten my work done. And so it allows me to then be there in those moments.” Mary Huddleston 20:00
“I find that when I think through the lens of what are the things that only Heather can do, right? So only Heather can be at a basketball game, cheering on Dixon or Thackston. Right. But somebody else can pick them up or take them to school. Somebody else can prepare a meal for them. I don’t have to do those things, but only I can be the one on the sidelines cheering for them, you know? So I try to look through that lens and that helps me let it go a lot easier.” Heather Adams 20:42
“I have mad respect for stay at home moms, but I am a better mom because I work.” Mary Huddleston 21:46
“My life is not perfect. And I think that what happens is people, we forget that, even though we tell ourselves that, when you’re constantly flooded with beautiful images, you’re like, ‘Oh, something’s wrong with my life.’ Nothing’s wrong with your life. They’re just better at hiding the ugly.” Mary Huddleston 23:26
“You just have to figure out what it is that’s stressing you out the most and start checking those things off the list. And once you’ve alleviated one thing off your plate, see how that feels. And, if you’re like me, and you’re like, ‘Nope, still want to delegate more!’ then just move on to the next thing, because you can keep adding as much as you can afford and as much as you need to get to a place where you’re not stressed all the time” Mary Huddleston 29:10
“There’s so much pretty content out there, but I want to be useful.” Mary Huddleston 33:20
Resources and Links from Show:
Without a Hitch (available for pre-order soon!)
The Office (now streaming on Peacock)
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