One of the main reasons for engaging a Virtual Assistant is to give you some precious hours back in your day. Therefore, you need to be able to delegate and delegate well. So, how do you do this…

Figure out what to delegate
To start with, you need to be clear on exactly what tasks you need to relinquish. What are you doing that you don’t need to do, what don’t you have time or the inclination to do, and be honest, what are you not good at?

To identify the tasks to let go of, make a list from first thing in the morning when you log in and review your emails until the end of the day when you’re ready to log off. Perhaps do this over a period of a week or so until you have a list of admin tasks.

Next, think ahead and review diary reminders for monthly, quarterly, or annual tasks such as insurance renewals, invoices that need raising, etc and add these to the list of tasks for your virtual assistant. And voila you have the start of a task list/job description that can evolve and be added to with time, it isn’t set in stone.

TYPICAL TASKS TO DELEGATE

Some typical tasks that you could pass over to your virtual assistant are:

  • Diary management
  • Email management
  • Online research
  • Managing CRM
  • Travel arrangements

The list goes on…

Be Prepared

You’re busy, you don’t have time to waste, so being prepared for your virtual assistant is key if you want them to hit the ground running. This is no different from inducting a permanent member of staff, your virtual assistant will need to know all the pertinent information to complete anything you delegate to them.

Think ahead, pull together notes of what they’ll need to know, don’t leave it until their first day, and then scrabble around trying to find log-ins, etc, this isn’t an effective use of your or your virtual assistant’s time.

Think about what you would need to know if you were completing the task for the first time, what information you’d need, questions you might ask, etc.

STEP BACK AND BREATHE

Now comes the hard part – LET GO! You must, otherwise, there’s no point bringing someone in to help you.

You must trust your virtual assistant, just as you’d trust an employee. Try not to
micromanage them (you don’t have time to anyway!) and don’t be unavailable. Perhaps schedule a regular catch-up for you and your virtual assistant but make it clear that you are available in between those catch-ups for something urgent or for something that they’re not sure about.

Now you can concentrate on those tasks you haven’t had enough time for nurturing and growing your business, engaging with your clients, revenue building, being creative all of which should hopefully lead to decreased stress levels, a better quality of life, and more time to spend with friends, family, and loved ones.

Interested? Like what you read?

Then please don’t hesitate to get in touch to find out how MT Virtual PA can give you precious hours back in your day.

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