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16 Personal Tasks for Executives to Delegate to Assistants

Employing delegation to support the wellness and productivity of executives is not limited to only handing off business-focused tasks. Smart leaders look for ways to delegate tasks – business and personal – to narrow their focus to the tasks that matter most.

Leaders often mistakenly view hiring an assistant for personal tasks as a luxury that only high-net-worth individuals enjoy, but I hold a different view. If it frees you up to create a greater overall impact, there’s nothing wrong with delegating personal tasks to your VA or another individual.

As a busy executive, I employ two fractional assistants to support me with a wide range of tasks that often involve the activities of my personal life. Delegating menial tasks related to personal care, pet care, and home care frees up my mind for more thinking time and my schedule for work only I can do.

My support team includes:

  • 3-5 Hours Per Week: An in-person assistant, local to me, regularly works onsite in my home, handling tasks that must be completed in person. This includes cleaning and basic housekeeping.
  • 3-5 Hours Per Week: An executive virtual assistant with more advanced skills supports me with both business and personal tasks as needed.

With these key people supporting me, I am delegating almost everything related to personal chores. It doesn’t break the bank to have fractional support, and I enjoy feeling organized and prepared on a consistent basis.

To spark some ideas for tasks that you can delegate to an in-person or virtual assistant, I’m sharing some of the tasks I delegate to my assistants to keep myself at the top of my game.

7 Personal Tasks for Executives to Delegate to a Virtual Assistant

  1. Research and book flights, Airbnbs, or hotel rooms for vacations and business travel. I give my assistant access to my credit card account, allowing them to use reward points. There can be some back-and-forth communication about these tasks, but it saves me a lot of time if I don’t have to log in to anything or research the best options available.
  2. Plan a bachelor or bachelorette party. Your VA can round up details about activities, get pricing information, coordinate with caterers, design and order swag, and create itineraries.
  3. Cancel subscriptions I no longer use. I love the convenience of subscription services, but managing subscriptions that you may no longer need can be time-consuming. Delegate this to avoid paying for services you aren’t using.
  4. Order holiday gifts for family several months in advance to space out expenses. In October, my assistant helped me list the people I wanted to give holiday gifts to, and we brainstormed some ideas about each person. Then, she researched some gifts online and shared them with me to select and approve orders. Most of my shopping was done well before Christmas, and my in-person assistant handled all of the gift wrapping!
  5. Donate to your nephew’s fundraisers. If there are special kids in your life, chances are you’ve been asked to donate to their fundraiser. Set your budget, send fundraising links to your VA, and share your credit card information via a password vault to keep your “Best Auntie” status going strong.
  6. Order skincare products, pet supplies, and health supplements. Some products I use are purchased directly from product websites, so this is a great task to hand off to my assistant. Keep things stocked by delegating the shopping list.
  7. Schedule vet appointments, haircuts, and massages. These are generally quick little things, but your time is more valuable when spent elsewhere! Delegate it.

9 Personal Tasks for Executives to Delegate to An In-Person Assistant

A virtual assistant can handle a long list of tasks for executives, but there are some tasks an in-person assistant is best to take off your plate. Remember, this doesn’t have to be on your bucket list. Having an assistant is a smart thing to do for high-achievers.

  1. Order and gift wrap birthday gifts or mail cards. I love giving gifts, and it’s much more fun to give when you have time to be thoughtful and punctual in your giving! I share a birthday calendar with my assistant, who proactively asks me what gifts I need for upcoming birthdays and anniversaries. Then she wraps the gift or mails cards on my behalf.
  2. Meal-plan and order groceries for delivery or curbside pick-up. A virtual assistant could also do this if you make the shopping list. My assistant selects recipes and uses my template grocery list. Then, she inventories my pantry and fridge before placing an order with HEB. She adds delivery times to my calendar so I know when the order will be at my door!
  3. Pick up lunch or coffee when you have a busy meeting day. Okay, this one is extra bougie, but sometimes executives need help feeding themselves. (I see you out there skipping lunch!)
  4. Donate used clothes to the Salvation Army. I like to donate clothes and household items I am no longer using, but when I’ve done this myself in the past, the items usually end up sitting in my trunk for a month before I finally drop them off. Delegate it and keep your closet tidy.
  5. Order outfits to try on and keep or send back. I personally don’t love shopping for clothes, but my assistant loves to shop! She finds outfits for me to try at home and ships back anything I don’t like.
  6. List and sell used furniture on Facebook Marketplace. If you’ve ever done this yourself, I’m sure you have felt frustration with managing the “Is it still available?” messages. Your assistant can take pictures, list the items, and manage the communication for you.
  7. Prepare and mail packages and returns. This has been touched on above, but no one enjoys a trip to the Post Office. Your assistant can pack and send gifts and returns.
  8. Pick up mail from a virtual mailbox. My coworking space provides a virtual mailbox service for my business, and I get letters scanned, but something needs to be picked up occasionally. My assistant saves me a trip.
  9. Water the plants and tidy the home. Unless you are someone who finds these tasks relaxing and therapeutic (I do!), you may neglect your plants or notice some clutter forming during busy weeks. Your assistant can help make your home feel like the welcoming oasis you need after a productive day.

Executives, don’t be afraid to delegate personal tasks to your assistants. Most of them love this type of work, and reducing distractions and task-switching throughout the day empowers you to achieve your goals even faster. It may also give you more time to recharge your batteries on the weekends instead of spending your Saturday running errands!


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Amber Gray

Amber Gray is the founder and CEO of Trusty Oak, an Austin-based virtual assistant company providing administrative and marketing support to small business leaders, authors, and creative teams. A people-first approach to hiring, along with a scalable growth model have positioned Trusty Oak as a flexible, dependable, and affordable alternative to hiring administrative and marketing employees. In 2021 and 2022, Trusty Oak was named Freelancer Hiring Platform of the Year, and in 2021 Amber was recognized as Austin Business Woman of the Year.

Before founding Trusty Oak, Amber spent five years at a rapidly growing digital agency based in Austin, TX. Four of those years, she was responsible for hiring and leading both local and virtual teams while working closely with clients ranging from CEOs to bestselling authors to build their brand online. As VP of Operations, Amber helped lead the company’s growth to #15 on Austin Business Journal’s Fast50 List in 2014.

As a female founder and leader of a company that has quickly established a recognizably special culture within a non-traditional workforce, Amber has energized and empowered women from diverse professional and personal backgrounds to go against the grain of historically standard female roles in business, technology, and leadership. Trusty Oak provides an opportunity for experienced admin and marketing professionals to work independently as freelancers, but with a supportive internal network consisting of other ambitious and resourceful remote workers.



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