Tips for Time Management:  Delegation of Tasks

We could all use some good tips for time management.  In today’s fast-paced, high tech world, expectations are high for people to get lots of work done in a short period of time.  By utilizing a few handy tips and techniques you will quickly find yourself making the most efficient use of your precious.

Getting SMART to Better Time Management

Effective time management is essential when it comes to getting the most accomplished in your day.  This is particularly true when you have the task of monitoring the productivity of others.  Effective delegation really helps to free up your time.

A common one of the tips for time management is SMART.  This stands for specific, measurable, agreeable, and realistic and timebound.  It is a way to help you remember how to set objectives for people.  Following the SMART method ensures that you have properly delegated the task.

Specific

Be exact in what you are asking.  Don’t say “here’s some filing” instead be specific.  “Could you file these papers in these files by 10am this morning please?”

Make sure you have said clearly what it is you want the other person to do.

Measurable

Make sure that you can measure the outcome.  In the above example it’s clear that the person needs to have filed the papers by 10 am.  This is measurable and so you’ll be able to know whether the person succeeded or not.

Agreeable and Realistic

This is a really important part of the delegation process.  Make sure that the person you are passing the task to thinks that it is possible.  In the above task is you gave the person five hundred papers it might not be possible to complete the task.

You need to make sure the task is agreed and is realistic.

Timebound

Finally you need to put a closure time on the task.  You could have said “can you file these papers in these files?”  The person could then take two months to do this.  They’d be doing what you asked but not what you meant.

So always add a timescale.

If you follow the SMART method then you’ll soon find that it’ll become one of your favourite tips for time management.  After a while you’ll find that you naturally follow the SMART method.  In practise you probably use one or more parts of it now.  So hopefully it won’t be a big jump for you to move up to the next level and use it every time you delegate a task.

The great thing about getting SMART is that other people will love it too.  You’ll find that the people you are delegating to really appreciate that you are so clear on your direction.

Working in this way with people makes life easier all round.  Instead of unrealistic expectations everyone is clear on what is required and by when.  The only difficulty with SMART is that it takes time.  You need to take time to delegate things effectively.

Previously you might have simply asked “Can you file that stuff?”  This is a quick thing to ask of someone.  However what is hidden is the time it takes to come back and say, “Is that stuff filed yet?”  Then a while later to ask “why is this taking so long?” only to discover that the person is filing a whole lot of stuff they don’t need to.  So although working SMART takes longer to set up overall it will prove shorter for you.

I hope this brief run through of SMART helps.  I'm sure if you try it a few times you'll quickly get the benefits that it brings.