Delegating tasks is an important step for business owners who want to grow while maintaining their sanity. If delegation is something you struggle with, book a free consultation to learn how we can make the process 10x easier for you. You may have hired freelancers for small projects, but the idea of higher more permanent support, like a Virtual Assistant (VA) or Online Business Manager (OBM), can be scary.
Deep down you know hiring support can reduce the overwhelm of having to manage day-to-day operations all by yourself. However, what is keeping you stuck is worrying about losing control or dealing with tasks not getting done correctly. By the end of this blog, you will be able to hand off responsibilities confidently, ensuring everything is managed smoothly.
If you’re ready to reclaim your time and boost your productivity, keep reading to learn how to delegate tasks effectively when outsourcing for the first time. You’ll find practical steps, tips, and best practices to guide you through the process. Ready to get started?
Would you like a SparkNotes version of this blog post? Click here to read a quick summary!
Why Delegation is Key for Growing Your Business
Delegation is essential for business growth and your personal well-being. By passing on tasks, you allow yourself to focus on what you do best—marketing, sales, or even taking time off. When you delegate effectively, you feel empowered in hiring a team that is both supportive & collaborative. This not only helps in achieving business goals faster, but also creates a sense of ease knowing you no longer have to do it alone.
Plus, delegating tasks can significantly improve your work-life balance. As your business grows, you find yourself overwhelmed by day-to-day tasks, leaving little room for personal time. By handing off repetitive tasks to a Virtual Assistant or Online Business Manager, you can reclaim your weekends and evenings, reducing stress and preventing burnout. This balance is important for maintaining long-term productivity and self-fulfillment.
As a bonus, when you outsource tasks that you no longer want to do, it creates a boosting of productivity. This allows you to accomplish more in less time. improves your quality of work but also allows for quicker project completion and faster business growth. Delegation is not about offloading work; it’s about optimizing your time and creating a smoother, more efficient workflow.
You might like this too: How to Improve Work Life Balance Without Sacrificing Online Business Growth
Steps to Prepare for Hiring Your First VA or OBM
Before you hire your first VA or OBM, preparation is key. Start by defining the roles and responsibilities clearly. What tasks do you need them to handle? Are these daily administrative tasks, customer service, or something more specialized? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you create a detailed job description, making it easier to find the right person for you. .
In the next section we will dive into how to figure out what tasks to delegate or not.
Once you have this list of tasks, the next step is to get all essential documents and tools in place for smooth onboarding. Prepare an onboarding checklist that is easy for both & your new hire.
This can include a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) (this can be optional, but recommended), job description, task lists, and access to necessary software or tools. Tools we like using are Google Workspace, Slack, LastPass, and Monday.com, to streamline communication and project management, ensuring that everyone feels supported once onboarded.
List of essential onboarding tools:
- Google Workspace: For email, calendar, and document sharing.
- Slack: For team communication (we have also used Voxer, but it isn’t as organized as Slack)
- Monday.com: For project and task management.
- LastPass: For securely sharing passwords and access.
- Zoom or Google Meet: For setting up weekly meetings & training purposes.
- Loom: For screen shares and walkthroughs of specific tasks.
By having these systems in place, you ensure a smooth transition and set your new hire up for success from day one. This preparation also demonstrates integrity and helps build a trusting relationship with your VA or OBM. This groundwork is important for achieving the seamless delegation of tasks and ensuring that your business runs efficiently.
How to Identify Tasks to Delegate
Identifying tasks to delegate is important for feeling confident when hiring a VA or OBM. Start by making a complete list of all the tasks you do daily, weekly, and monthly. Highlight activities that you are good at & love doing in one color. In another color, highlight activities you are not good at & dislike doing.
Tasks like scheduling appointments, managing emails, data entry, and social media management are perfect tasks to delegate.
Another way to determine which tasks to delegate is by asking yourself – what tasks consume too much of your time & offer little value in reaching your goals or revenue generation.
If it feels like you’re spinning your wheels on time consuming tasks, these are the ones to delegate. For example, routine customer service inquiries can easily be handled by a VA, freeing you up to focus on more significant aspects of your business.
Here’s a quick list of tasks you might want to delegate:
- Email management
- Calendar scheduling
- Bookkeeping
- Social media posting
- Customer service inquiries
- Graphic design
- Client onboarding (i.e. sending of contracts, invoices, etc)
Use this list as a starting point. Be honest with yourself about which tasks drain your energy and time. The goal is to focus on high-value activities that move the needle in your business while allowing your VA or OBM to handle the support tasks efficiently.
You might like this too: How to Know You’re Ready to Find and Hire a Virtual Assistant
Best Practices for Effective Delegation
Effective delegation requires clear communication and proper planning by both parties. As the business owner, the place you can start is by setting clear expectations. This can include outlining the specific tasks you want to be completed & when you want it done. We use Monday.com to assign tasks and track progress. Other expectations can be about company values, working hours, best way to communicate with one another, and so on. This ensures that your VA or OBM knows exactly what is expected and when it should be done.
Plus it will help you weed out candidates that do not align with your values during the hiring process.
Another practice is regular check-ins especially for the first 6ish months. Schedule daily or weekly meetings to discuss any challenges, review completed tasks, and make necessary adjustments. This keeps everyone on the same page and ensures everyone feels supported.
Here are some best practices to follow:
- Clear Instructions: Provide detailed instructions for each task (an SOP would be perfect here)
- Use Tools: Utilize project management tools to keep tasks organized.
- Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular meetings to check-in on how things are going.
- Have Patience Spend the time to give feedback & have patience as your VA or OBM integrates themselves into your business.
By following these practices, you can ensure that tasks are completed & you feel supported as they take more off your plate…
Final Thoughts: Delegate with Confidence
Delegating tasks is essential for growing your business and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. By identifying which tasks to delegate and implementing best practices, you empower yourself and your new hire to operate more efficiently. This frees up your time so you can do more of what you love.
If you’re ready to take this step, Katie & I would love to support you! We’ll help you figure out & implement the best systems for your business so you can have a business that supports the lifestyle you want to live. Book a consultation to get started!
P.S. If this blog was too long to read, here is the gist:
- Get clear on what tasks you want to outsource.
- Collect all documents needed for your VA or OBM to complete tasks effectively. Create email campaigns that are valuable to your audience (i.e. how to’s).
- Organize tools like Monday.com, LastPass, Google Workspace for easy onboarding.
- Create space in your calendar for daily or weekly check-ins.
- Have patience & provide feedback to ensure everyone feels confident & supported.
Book a free consultation with us to find out how we can help you find the perfect systems for a more organized, stress-free business.
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