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Tips on Delegating
Break big tasks down to smaller pieces
Segment your task into small pieces and chip away at your large task. You'll find it's much more manageable when you split it up.
Communicate clearly and be thorough in your instruction
When delegating any task, be sure to give clear, thorough directions as to what you want done. Your assistant only knows as much as you tell them.
Get your to-do list out of your head and in writing
Don't get bogged down by trying to remember everything you have to do. Write it down and set it aside. This will free you up to focus solely on the task at hand. You'll find that you're less distracted this way.
Prioritize your work
Determine what the most important or time sensitive task is and get started on it right away. Don't kill time by finishing insignificant work first.
Knock out the big stuff
Procrastinating on big projects will keep them looming over you and keep you from fully committing to any one project. Tackle them first and utilize your mental might efficiently.
Summarize your desired end result
While it may seem obvious, be sure to explicitly state your intended result when delegating a specific task.
Be patient
Assisting someone takes foresight and intuition. Both things that need to be honed. Be patient and educate your assistant when needed. The fruits of your labor will flourish and create a better experience for you.
Establish Parameters
Make sure to let your assistant know of any time constraints, must haves or do-nots in the answer you receive.
Cater to your strengths, delegate the rest
Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. Cherry pick tasks or parts of a task you do really well and delegate the things you think someone can do better than you.
Weed out time killers
Assess your routine and identify the things that take up your time but don't need your personal touch. Do what you must, delegate what you can and eliminate the unnecessary.
Automate recurring events
Some chores occur like clockwork. Find those patterns and automate those tasks so you never have to think about them again. Get your hair cut once a month? An assistant can remind you it's time for a trim and set up an appointment for you.
Feedback is the path to better work
Thanks and positive reenforcement let your assistant know that their intuition was correct. On the other hand when a task isn't done to your satisfaction give constructive feedback. Feedback is essential to learning and will help point the way for missed marks.