The 80/20 Delegation Matrix: What to Keep, What to Kill, What to Offsite
- AJ Shepard
- Jan 9
- 4 min read
As a business owner, every hour you spend should move your company forward. Yet, many entrepreneurs get stuck in the weeds, spending more time in the business than on it.
The 80/20 Delegation Matrix offers a practical lens to assess every task you do. It’s not just a time management trick; it’s a framework for clarity, efficiency, and growth.
This article breaks down how to apply the 80/20 principle to your operations, create your own delegation matrix, and identify exactly what to keep doing, what to stop doing, and what to offsite to qualified Offsite Professionals.
TL;DR
The 80/20 Delegation Matrix helps business owners identify which tasks to keep, eliminate, or delegate to an Offsite Professional.
By combining the 80/20 rule (that 20% of your efforts produce 80% of results) with a practical decision framework, you can focus on high-impact work and reclaim valuable time. Only keep what drives growth, kill what adds friction, and offsite what can be done effectively by skilled professionals.
Key Takeaways
80% of your results likely come from 20% of your efforts
The Delegation Matrix gives a clear path for decision-making
Tasks fall into three zones: Keep, Kill, or Offsite
Offsite Professionals can handle repeatable, process-driven, or support tasks
Using this matrix can reduce overwhelm and increase scalability.
Understanding the 80/20 Principle in Business
The Pareto Principle, better known as the 80/20 rule, states that 80% of results come from 20% of efforts. In business, this means that a small set of activities (client acquisition, process optimization, or team leadership) likely drive most of your success.
When you apply the 80/20 lens to your daily operations, you’ll notice patterns:
A handful of clients generate most of your revenue.
A few marketing efforts produce the highest leads.
A few internal tasks actually move the needle.
The rest? They’re noise, tasks that drain time and energy but add little value. The Delegation Matrix helps you sort the signal from the noise.
The Delegation Matrix Framework
At its core, the Delegation Matrix is a 3-part decision tool:
1. What to Keep
Keep only what requires your unique expertise or strategic oversight. These are tasks that directly align with your strengths and have a significant impact on revenue or growth.
Examples:
Vision and strategy setting
Client relationship building
Financial oversight
High-level decision-making
If the task can’t be done effectively without you (or if it contributes directly to your long-term goals) it belongs here.
2. What to Kill
These are tasks that neither drive results nor bring satisfaction. They often exist because of habit, outdated systems, or a fear of change.
Examples:
Legacy reporting no one reads
Redundant approvals or manual steps
Inefficient meetings
Killing tasks is liberating. Each item you eliminate clears mental space for higher-value work.
3. What to Offsite
This is the sweet spot for scalability. Offsite tasks are those that must be done but don’t require you to do them. They can be executed efficiently by trained Offsite Professionals who specialize in operations, admin, marketing, finance, or technology support.
Examples:
Calendar management and scheduling
CRM data entry and cleanup
Bookkeeping and invoicing
Marketing campaign management
Process automation setup
Offsiting these responsibilities ensures that specialized talent handles them with consistency and skill.
How to Build and Apply Your 80/20 Delegation Matrix
List every recurring task you perform in a week or month.
Estimate time and impact for each: how much effort it takes and what results it generates.
Sort tasks into one of three columns: Keep, Kill, or Offsite.
Prioritize changes—start by killing low-value tasks, then delegate operational work to your Offsite team.
Review quarterly to ensure your focus remains on high-impact activities.
This process should become a living document. As your business evolves, so should your matrix.
Expert Insight: Why Delegation Fails Without Structure
Many entrepreneurs delegate reactively instead of strategically. Without a framework, delegation can lead to inefficiency or frustration.
According to Harvard Business Review, businesses that use structured delegation models improve productivity by up to 33%.
That’s because clarity reduces friction: everyone knows what’s owned, what’s delegated, and what’s eliminated.
Your Delegation Matrix provides that structure. It ensures that Offsite Professionals operate within clear expectations and measurable outcomes.
Fun Fact: The Pareto Principle’s Origin
The 80/20 rule originated from Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist who noticed that 80% of Italy’s land was owned by 20% of its population.
Decades later, management consultant Joseph Juran applied it to business efficiency and the rest is productivity history.
Delegation isn’t about letting go, it’s about leveling up. The 80/20 Delegation Matrix helps you operate like a true leader: focused on strategy, supported by experts, and freed from low-value tasks.
When you keep only what matters, kill what doesn’t, and Offsite the rest, you unlock exponential potential for growth and balance.
Ready to see how an Offsite Professional can help you apply the 80/20 Delegation Matrix in your business?
FAQs
How often should I update my Delegation Matrix?
Ideally every quarter. Businesses evolve, and your delegation map should evolve with them.
How do I know what tasks are safe to offsite?
If a task is repeatable, measurable, and doesn’t require your personal expertise, it’s a strong candidate for Offsiting.
What if I’m not sure what to eliminate?
Start by identifying tasks that feel busy but don’t generate tangible results. Those are prime candidates for elimination.
Can Offsite Professionals handle client-facing work?
Absolutely! Many Offsite Professionals specialize in customer support, project coordination, and account management.
What’s the difference between delegation and Offsiting?
Delegation transfers responsibility within your team. Offsiting leverages external professionals who bring both skill and scalability without adding significant overhead.
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