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One way that many people can increase their productivity, and thereby improve upon their overall time management skills is through learning to delegate responsibilities to others. Whether in personal or professional life “no man is an island unto himself.”

When time constraints and looming deadlines threaten, it is not the weak person, but the strong one, that can assign some of the burden to others.

Many people with time management difficulties simply have taken on too much. In one’s personal life it can be difficult to say “no” and in one’s professional life it can be downright impossible. An angry boss or supervisor is not something anyone wants to deal with. If you find yourself in a crunch that you can’t possibly get out of, this may be the time when you simply must call in the reinforcements.

Whenever possible a team approach to large projects and difficult tasks should be adopted in the professional world. While some people may have a difficult time trusting others to carry their share of the load, learning to delegate can be an important step in to more effectively using your time.

Decide upon what skills you have, and which aspects of the project are most suited to your own level of ability and creativity. Assign smaller tasks, such as running copies, doing research work, to others. This frees up your time and energy to concentrate on the more important aspects of the job.

At home tasks can be delegated to other family members. Even the youngest child can learn to do some chores, such as picking up toys, or putting towels on a shelf.

By requiring children to share some of the burden of household chores you are also teaching them to be responsible, and helping them prepare for adulthood.