Knowing how to delegate effectively is one of the most important and valuable time management skills anyone can develop. Delegating tasks is not something you do to avoid your responsibilities; it’s a technique you use to fulfill them. It can be difficult to know when to give something to someone else. You may be hesitant to delegate if you feel that everyone else is overloaded just like you. Or, you may worry that someone might not do as good a job as you would. It may not even occur to you to delegate something because it’s always been your job and you are doing it on autopilot.            

            Follow this rule: If there is anything on your to-do list that someone else can do better than you, faster than you, or good enough, give it to them. Shifting these tasks from your plate allows a team to accomplish more in less time and frees you to focus your energies where you can make your unique contribution.           

            To whom can you delegate? Think creatively. At work, even if you don’t have an assistant, can you trade tasks with a co-worker, leveraging each of your individual strengths? At home, delegate to family members. One of the greatest benefits of delegation is it promotes a healthy interdependence among people. Delegation isn’t about burdening others, but giving them a chance to make a contribution and provide value to the team.      

            When you delegate, try matching the skill set of the person to the task. Recognize there are three levels of delegatees to choose from, and each requires a different investment of time on your part. Consider to whom you are delegating, and plan accordingly.            

• Expert: Giving the task to someone who can do it better or faster than you is an instant time savings, because it requires the least instruction and supervision from you. If there is no expert “in-house,” consider hiring an outside expert.
• Equal: Giving the job to someone who is just as qualified as you reduces the time you must spend explaining the task to a minimum and offers a high likelihood that the work will be done just fine—even if they approach it a little differently than you.
• Beginner: Giving the job to someone who is not as skilled as you requires the largest investment of time to teach and guide, but you may develop a loyal helper who feels grateful for the opportunity to learn.