Brain Fog and Decision Fatigue is a real problem for busy leaders.
Most leaders make an average of 35,000 decisions per day!
So how can you accomplish more, while deciding less?
I’ve been taking us through a 5-week series of emails centered around the idea that there are 5 Levels of Effectively Working with Your Remote Executive Assistant.
The first 3 are…
Level 1: Clear the Overwhelm
Level 2: SOP Generating Machine
Level 3: Don’t 🚫 DIY
Today I’m introducing…
Level 4: Multiply and Clarify Your Thinking
As a busy leader, your ⏰ is valuable. You have big decisions to make and strategic plans to execute. But, all of the tasks that support those things can be overwhelming and time-consuming. That’s where your remote Executive Assistant comes in.
Here are three ways you can use your EA to Multiply Your Thinking:
- 🧠 Brainstorming Sessions: Schedule regular brainstorming sessions with your EA to discuss new ideas, opportunities, and challenges. Some people call these “working meetings.”
- 📊 Research: Your EA can do research for you and take a look at trends within industry news to help you.
- ✍️ Strategic Planning: Your EA can help you develop and execute your business strategy, by identifying goals, creating action plans, and tracking progress.
But the one 🔑 thing that makes all of the above more valuable is if you teach them to think LIKE YOU. Here’s how…
- Don’t say “Yes, that’s good” or “No, that’s that.”
- Do say, “Yes, I think so… here’s why” or “No, that’s not it… and here’s how I would think about it.”
The Golden Byproduct of this approach:
Overtime, as they document your thought process and multiply your thinking, you will also be forced to Clarify Your Thinking.
You’ll have to think through the WHY behind your decisions and it will cause you to think better.
I spend a good 20 minutes evaluating my decisions and clarifying my thought-processes behind them during my EA Weekly Huddle every Monday.
It helps them to think like me, and make an increasing amount of decisions independent of me, more like me. It also allows them to poke holes in my assumptions and challenge me, which is incredibly helpful.
Ultimately, this has allowed me the opportunity to hand more and more off to them.
So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to start thinking about your EA as a strategic partner, not just a task manager.
-Micah Foster, Co-Owner
P.S. You may find this Inc. article helpful: 4 Ways to Prevent Mental Burnout.