You are in a position where multitasking is no longer an option. Time to unburden tasks that would otherwise burden you. But where to start? How to delegate? How do you bring yourself in the mindset of a master delegator?
Accept the fear. You are the foundation holding everything up and there is pressure. Delegating responsibilities will reveal some deep-lining issues and insecurities in your roles at work or at home. “I can’t fail”; “No one can do it better than I”; “I can’t trust them”; “I don’t want to depend on anyone else”, are self-sabotaging. Acknowledge that the fear exists and discover what is driving those insecurities. Because failing to delegate, stress and feeling overwhelmed will outweigh any insecurities you may have. Acceptance will empower you, give you a piece of mind, and you will be free to see the bigger picture and prepare you for the role of which you are made.
Evaluate the risks. Regardless of whether you can complete a task more effectively, ask yourself: what is the profit of return? In the long run, tasks with low-returns such as scheduling, researching, and booking flights will have less of an impact on your career than tasks with high-returns like making huge financial decisions for your company.
Let go of ego and trust your people. You are in a position to delegate due to the steps you have taken in your career. At a high-enough level, you may see yourself overwhelmed, but still not ready to lose control. Give your assistant those low-impact tasks, streamline the process of task delegation, and be okay with it.
The process comes down to the decision of two choices: delegate the work or do it yourself. The reward comes from managing the risk, and letting go. In this case, the lower the risk, the higher the reward.