Delegation: a useful tool in maintaining motivation?

Sometimes staying motivated means delegating things to other people. I know that it's true, but sometimes it's hard for me to put into action. I'm a Type-A, gotta-do-it-all-myself kind of gal. That sort of thinking gets me into trouble. But, the occassion arises once in awhile when I realize that delegating things to others is a must.

Case in point: The past 3 or 4 months, I've been all too aware that I've needed a new car. A new-to-me car. I prefer to drive a good quality used car - nothing too expensive or snazzy, just reliable, low cost to maintain, yet professional looking. I hate doing research on that stuff. (Heck, who am I kidding - I dispise having to do anything related to buying a car, getting tires and the ever popular getting repairs done.) So, I put it off. And off. Then I realized that I was so unhappy, simply because I was putting it off. Ooh, procrastination comes into play - another obstacle to get over when trying to stay motivated.

So, I decided to ask Chris, my partner in life if he would do it for me. He actually likes doing it, and is good at it. Within 2 days, he found a great car, we went to look at it and sealed the deal. It was that easy. From there, I was able to focus on other things that I needed to tend to, which enhanced my ability to stay motivated. 

flickr photo courtesy of David Joyce

Now, in my professional life, it's a bit more tricky to delegate, as I am CEO, secretary, pet sitter, dog walker, poop clean up crew, social media rep... you name it.

Understanding that there are things that are in my strengths list, and some in my weaknesses list is important. It's great to build overall skills, but equally effective if you don't fight the idea that it's ok to delegate things that you're not fond of (for the right reasons), or not good at to someone else. In a work setting, it can be a great way to get to know a co-worker or colleague better by dialoguing about what you need help with, and in the big picture of the process - perhaps increase productivity and propel motivation for everyone.

We cannot do everything alone in life. It's ok to ask for help. There ought not be any shame or guilt in that.

Where is an area where you might be able to use the skill of delegation to enhance your ability to stay motivated?