Not every task should be automated. Here’s how to decide what to do, and what to ditch.
Introduction: Why You’re Drowning in Tasks That Don’t Matter
Let’s be honest.
You’ve probably spent the last hour doing things no one else even knows you’re doing. Fixing a broken link. Approving an invoice. Chasing someone on Slack. Cleaning up a spreadsheet that no one asked you to clean.
And it’s not your fault. Business gets messy, fast.
The real problem isn’t your motivation. It’s your decision-making. What should I be doing right now? What’s worth my time? That question quietly haunts every leader and operator.
At Edge151, we call this the “task fog.” And if you’re serious about reclaiming your focus, you need a way to cut through it, fast.
Enter: the ADE Framework.
The ADE Framework: Automate, Delegate, Eliminate
ADE is simple, sharp, and unforgiving (in a good way)
For every task, ask:
- Can I Automate this?
- Can I Delegate this?
- Should I Eliminate this?
In that order. Always.
It’s like Marie Kondo for your workflows but instead of sparking joy, we’re looking for what sparks progress.
Let’s break them down with some stories.
Automate: When Repetition Is the Real Thief
If a task happens more than once and follows a pattern, you’ve got yourself a candidate for automation.
Real example:
Ravi runs a design agency. Every time a proposal is signed, he emails the client, pings the project manager, creates a folder, and sets up a timesheet. It takes 15 minutes — and happens three times a week.
That’s 39 hours a year of just clicking around. Now? A Power Automate flow does it all in under 10 seconds. Ravi didn’t just save time, he bought back brainpower.
Ask yourself:
- Does this task happen frequently?
- Is it rule-based?
- Can a machine follow it?
If yes, let a robot handle it.
Delegate: When It Needs a Human (Just Not You)
Some tasks are too complex, emotional, or unique to automate, but that doesn’t mean you should be doing them.
Delegation isn’t about laziness. It’s about focus protection.
Real example:
Lisa owns a financial services firm. She was spending an hour every week preparing her own slide decks for client reviews. Why? “Because I like the way I do it.”
Valid. But not efficient.
She trained her assistant on her style. Added a checklist. Now it’s 10 minutes of review instead of 60 minutes of building.
Ask yourself:
- Does someone else have the skill (or could they)?
- Would this task grow someone on your team?
- Am I holding onto this out of habit or pride?
If yes — delegate. Cleanly. Clearly. Kindly.
Eliminate: When It Doesn’t Deserve to Exist
Here’s the spicy one.
Some tasks don’t need better tools or better people — they just need to disappear.
Real example:
Tom’s marketing agency ran monthly “insights meetings” that no one liked and no one used. They’d spend hours preparing slides that were never actioned.
So he asked: “What would break if we stopped doing this?”
The answer? Nothing. So they stopped. And no one ever asked about it again.
Ask yourself:
- Is this task linked to a current goal or metric?
- Would anyone notice if it stopped?
- Is it just “the way we’ve always done it”?
If yes, eliminate. Reclaim the space.
Try It for Yourself: The ADE Mini Audit
Take one day this week and write down everything you do. Every email. Every call. Every tiny fix.
Then run the ADE test against it:
- Automate what follows patterns
- Delegate what pulls you off-course
- Eliminate what doesn’t drive value
Even if you only cut 10%, that’s the start of a cleaner, smarter business.
And if you run a team? Do it together. The conversations that follow are gold.
Bonus: Things You Think You Can’t Delegate… But Can
- Calendar management – Set rules, not exceptions
- Proposal writing – Use templates, or AI agents
- Email responses – Drafted by AI, reviewed by you
- Reporting – Automated dashboards + weekly summaries
- Client comms – Schedule and systemise 80% of the touchpoints
Remember: delegation isn’t abdication. It’s design.
Final Thoughts
Most productivity systems ask: How can I do more?
ADE asks: Why am I doing this at all?
And that’s the edge.
Because as a leader, your value isn’t measured in tasks ticked off, it’s in time protected, focus directed, and energy applied where it matters.
The better you get at choosing what not to do, the further your business can go.
Want the Free ADE Audit Sheet?
Download our simple 1-page ADE Audit Tool and start cutting the clutter today.
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