Well Folks, this is the last post in our delegation mini-series. I’ve been delighted hearing back from those of you who have started implementing some of the delegation tips we have discussed. But I know that some of you are still struggling to delegate and let go of simple tasks that you really don’t need to be doing yourself. So, our closing tip today will be useful to everyone but is dedicated to those of you still struggling to let go, those of you that are still holding onto all your work with such might your knuckles have turned white – you know who you are!
I have been guilty myself of taking on more and more work, mistakenly thinking that if I wanted the job to get done I would have to do it myself. Although I realised I was sometimes taking on jobs that took me twice as long because they were not in my area of expertise, or tasks that weren’t the most effective use of my time, I felt stuck. I had created a work pattern that was so hectic I felt I couldn’t step outside of it to realise there was a better way. Thankfully for me – and many of you will know this already – someone else insisted I take a look at the way I was working. I am forever grateful to you, Tony!
There are always two sides to a coin, and yes, delegating tasks can have a financial cost. It can mean that we have to take time to show others what they need to do. But if we don’t delegate those tasks that are either not income producing or within our area of expertise we will never have enough time to focus on tasks that we ought to. So even though it can be a struggle to take your finger off the pulse of your work I promise you it is worth it.
If you haven’t been able to apply any of the delegation tips from this series try easing yourself into it by incrementally freeing up your time. Just delegate one task to start with, however small. Maybe next week, next month, or as cash flow allows you can then try letting go of something else. You will not feel overwhelmed and you will quickly see the benefits you can reap from the new time you have up your sleeve.
If you are unsure of what you should delegate try asking yourself some of the following questions:
- What tasks that I am currently completing are non-income producing or outside my area of expertise?
- If I could free up some time, what other and better tasks could I then do that would help me reach my goals and produce more revenue?
- Is there someone on my team that I can easily delegate smaller tasks to, or is there someone I could train to take away some of the less critical tasks on my desk?
I asked myself these questions and I now have a wonderful team of people working with me who leave me free to focus on moving my business forward, achieving higher levels of success and enjoying a healthy balanced life.
Give it a go, one task at a time. Don’t worry if it takes a while – Rome wasn’t built in a day.
