“I know that I need help, but I don’t know what to delegate.” I hear this phrase often in my conversations with leaders. They’re feeling the pressure of having too much on their plate and know they need support, but they don’t know where to start. They’re already overwhelmed, and the thought of figuring out how support should work for them adds another layer.
Why This Happens
You may not know what to hand off because everything feels important, which makes it difficult to decide what to release. Another common reason is that you’re used to doing it all. When you’ve been the one handling everything, it can be hard to separate yourself from the work. You know what needs to be done, and you know how you like it done.
A Simple Way to Think About It
One place to start when deciding what to delegate is with repetitive tasks. As I shared in Underutilized Executive Assistants, many leaders already have support but aren’t fully leveraging it in these areas. These are a good starting point because many people feel like they don’t have enough work to hand off. Calendar scheduling is a great example. Another area to focus on is time-consuming tasks — these are often the tasks leaders don’t enjoy doing. Inbox management is a common one. Even with tools like AI that can help draft responses or organize your inbox, someone still needs to manage the work and move things forward.You’ll also want to include tasks that don’t require your level of decision-making, such as follow-ups.
What Not to Start With
Keep this simple and avoid overcomplicating it. That said, don’t start with tasks that require highly sensitive decisions. It’s best to hold off on those until you feel more comfortable releasing them. The same goes for strategy-heavy work. It’s not that you won’t eventually delegate these areas, but they are better transitioned over time.
Getting started with delegation doesn’t have to be complicated. It simply requires you to take the first step in releasing the right types of work. If you’re unsure where to begin or want to make sure you’re setting things up the right way, that’s something we can help you think through. A conversation can help you identify what makes the most sense to delegate first, so you can begin to create space in your day and move out of the weeds.
