Defer
To defer means saying, "Not right now" rather than, "Not ever." This could be a new project you want to com mence in a week or two or it could be van idea you want to reflect on before taking action.
But be careful, there's a fine line between deferring and procrastinating indefinitely.
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Simply put, act on your tasks. The 2-minute rule can help with that: If you can complete a task in two minutes or less, do it now.
It's amazing what you can accomplish in just 120 seconds: write an email, make a quick phone call, pull a report and so on.
You don't have to do much of anything beyond making a simple decision to do or to delete.
If the deleted item is a simple activity that won't bring you results, remove it from your to-do list and move on with your day. The second most pleasing thing after completing a to-do list is removing an item from it.
You might find it disconcerting when the results are somewhat different than when you complete the work yourself.
To delegate effectively, create a playbook breaking down a project or task step-by-step and detailing what the outcome looks like.
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For your to-do list:
- If the task takes less than 2 minutes to complete, do it immediately and get it off your list.
- If the task takes longer than 2 minutes to complete, set it aside for later.
- If someone else should do the task, send it to that person right away.
- If the task doesn't require any action, delete it immediately to get it off your list.
- If you just need to file the item for reference, put it where it needs to go right away.
To delegate efficiently, ensure you choose the right person for the job with the necessary skills.
- Identify the required skillsets for the role
- Define an hour and money budget for the task
- Identify prospective candidates for the job.
- Interview the candidates if necessary
When you are hiring, make a practical test simulating the task you are delegating. If you need a video editor, ask for a quick video.
Takes long to finish a task and is very much focused on quality over quantity. This leads to them feeling stressed, overwhelmed and having difficulty to multitask.
Strategy: Get rid of clutter, especially on the email. Use methods like the "inbox zero" – where you keep your inbox empty or almost so at all times.