Productivity Tips: 4 Ways to Be an Effective Delegator by The Burns and McDonnell Careers Team on October 26, 2012 Most people have a love-hate relationship with delegating tasks, preferring to juggle a long to-do list rather than focus on one thing at a time . On one hand, you want to be in control of the final product and, as a result, you prefer to tackle the task yourself. On the other hand, you could always use the extra time to complete something else on your to-do list (or give yourself more time to focus on what you truly love) -- and that's where delegation comes in. There's no doubt that effectively delegating tasks is an art. If mastered, the result is increased efficiency and productivity not just for yourself, but for your business or company, too. To help you more effectively incorporate delegation into your daily routine, try these 4 tips. Hire the right people. This seems like a no-brainer, but if you don't have talented, resourceful people to whom you can delegate tasks, you're missing a key piece of the puzzle. Instead of waiting for a looming project deadline, take a moment to assess your staffing needs now. And look at your own task list, too. What are some of the things you don't particularly like doing or are out of your area of expertise? Use that as a frame of reference to help you make a hiring decision, then you'll be ready to hit the ground