Phanella Fine

Phanella Fine Associates Logo

Letting Go and Leading

Time Management and Delegation Tips for Leaders – aka Finding Balance as a Leader

4 minutes of reading

As a leader, I know my coaching clients often struggle to find balance amidst the demands of their roles, leading to increased stress and burnout – in fact, it’s one of the most common issues they face. If this is you, you’re not alone. But how can you effectively manage your time and delegate tasks to achieve greater balance and effectiveness in your leadership role? Let’s dive in.

Prioritise Your Tasks

It’s proven that having go-to techniques to categorize and prioritise tasks will help you feel less overwhelmed. Without this, switching and loss of focus are real dangers, as is missing key tasks or deadlines. I like simple tools like minimal to-do lists based on urgency and importance. This can be on paper or online. The trick is simple tools that work for you – anything too complicated, even the most functional app, won’t work if it’s time-consuming to use. Once you have a good strategy for prioritisation, chunk your time – I even encourage clients to go as far as blocking out their most productive times of day in their diary for ‘deep work’. Keep busy but not necessarily important/productive tasks for your less productive times – for example, after lunch – and be strict on checking email/other notifications, especially when you need to dive into something strategic and important.

Delegate Wisely

Once tasks are prioritised, anything not urgent or important should be delegated. And many things that are either or even both of these can be passed on too. As a leader, your time is precious – anything that doesn’t play to your strengths or doesn’t need to be done by you should be passed on, freeing up your time to focus on strategic initiatives and high-value activities. Delegation is 100% a key driver of leadership effectiveness. I know that delegation can be challenging for many of us. That’s why it’s important to develop trust in your team and provide clear guidance and support.

Build Trust and Support in Your Team

Building strong relationships with your team members is – I find time and time again – based on open communication. Research shows that when employees feel trusted by their leader, they engage better and perform more effectively, which obviously feeds your success as a leader. Make sure you communicate expectations clearly, provide ongoing feedback – both structured and immediate – and empower your team to take ownership of their work to create a culture of trust and collaboration.

Value Your Wellbeing

As a leader, your behaviour sets the tone for those around you. Contrary to what we might see in the traditional long hours, high-stress leader, it pays to set boundaries and encourage your team to do the same. Research from the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology (and every client I have ever seen make the shift) shows that leaders who prioritise their wellbeing are more resilient and effective in their roles across a whole range of metrics.

Incorporate These Strategies

Incorporate these strategies into your leadership practice and you will reap the rewards. Remember, finding balance is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing journey that requires self-awareness, intentionality, and continuous improvement. Ready to find balance and elevate your leadership? Contact us today to learn how executive coaching can help you manage your time, delegate effectively, and become a more balanced, effective leader.
Edit Template