No one teaches us how to delegate. It is learned from missing deadlines, being exhausted, overworked, and frustrated from not getting as much done as we would like. Some people may even think of delegation as laziness, cutting corners, and cheating. For others, it may even threaten their sense of worthiness by delegating and questioning what they have to offer. That is all a big lie.

Delegation allows someone to do more, be more effective, focus on what they enjoy doing, and make a bigger impact. It frees up their time to stop doing the things that don't add value or happiness to their life and start doing more of the things that do.

But how does someone start to delegate? Below is a step-by-step guide to stop wasting time and how to start being more effective by delegating.

Step 1: Start Tracking: Track for 2-3 days how you spend your time. Identify your responsibilities by making a comprehensive list in one column of all the tasks and responsibilities you currently do.

Step 2: Identify Daily, Weekly, and Monthly tasks: Take this list from Step 1 and zoom out weekly, then monthly. Identify weekly or monthly tasks and put them in separate columns.

Step 3: Target Low-Level Complexity Tasks: Go through the three columns and circle low-level complexity activities that someone can easily be instructed to do.

Step 4: Eliminate What You Don't Enjoy: Go back through the three columns and highlight the activities that you don't enjoy doing.

Step 5: Make Objectives for Each Task: The highlighted and circled tasks will be a good starting point for delegation. Define the goals and objectives for each item on the delegation list.

Step 6: Provide Clear Instructions: When delegating a task, ensure you provide your assistant with clear instructions, including any necessary guidelines, resources, or templates. My favorite way is by actually doing the task as an example while screen sharing and providing voice commands with the extension Loom.

Step 7: Define Decision-making Authority: Determine the level of decision-making authority your assistant has. Clearly communicate the boundaries and limitations within which they can make decisions on your behalf.

Step 8: Monitor Progress and Provide Feedback: Regularly review the progress of delegated tasks. Offer constructive feedback and guidance to help your assistant improve their performance.

Step 9: Adjust and Refine: As you and your assistant gain experience working together, continuously evaluate and adjust the delegation process. Identify areas where improvements can be made and refine your approach accordingly.

Step 10: Delegate Progressively Complex Tasks: Gradually delegate more complex tasks as your assistant becomes more experienced and demonstrates competence. This will allow them to grow professionally and take on greater responsibilities.

Remember, effective delegation is a skill that develops over time with practice and open communication. It allows you to focus on high-priority tasks and enhances productivity for both you and your virtual assistant. It might feel uncomfortable at first, but with a great virtual assistant, the process can be much easier. I am confident that with the right virtual assistant and delegation, your life will become more enjoyable and meaningful by being able to spend time on the things that you really enjoy doing.
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