The truth is, we all are. The never-ending emails which require some form of actions on our end, and the amount of time each effort requires makes us constantly drained at work. Sometimes, the stress could be reduced by asking colleagues for assistance, but you feel it will be a move that is constantly frowned upon by others.
The fact is people are willing to help – but this comes as a disclaimer that only if you show you have put in adequate effort into your work. You must think about these few pointers before proceeding with simple delegation.
WHICH TASK TO ASSIGN
You might want to assign tasks that are very simple but administrative. This times up a lot of your personal time at work. These tasks are best as they do not require complicated instructions or constant supervision. You would not want to assign tasks that your other colleagues constantly ask you questions because they are unsure of the instructions.
COMMUNCIATE WHAT YOU NEED
If you have already decided to ask a colleague, you must communicate what you need very clearly. If you have not communicated clearly enough, it might result in duplicate work. If someone has decided to help you, you can do away with less formalities by “Would you be able to help me”. These choices of words might seem like an option to the one receiving the instructions.
BE RECEPTIVE
You might only want a colleague to help you, but if they have shared that they too lack the time to assist you or they shared they might not be the best person to help you but recommend someone else – you might want to give it a go with that someone as well.