Delegating to Technology: Work Smarter, Not Harder

Let’s be real: there are only so many hours in the day, and nobody wants to spend any more of them in the office. But it’s easy to get bogged down in repetitive tasks that eat into your valuable time. Many (most?) of those tasks are probably not in your Power Zone. They’re tasks that could be done better, faster, and cheaper by someone—or something—other than you. They’re things you should be delegating. 

Today’s tip is to look for ways to delegate to technology. Your first instinct may be to delegate to a person. But new technologies are coming out all the time that can handle many tasks you might previously have delegated to a person.

Let tools handle the busy work so you can focus on what you do best: helping clients and building your practice.

Here are four technologies you may not have heard of:

1. Automate your drafting with templates, clause libraries, and AI-augmented drafting. Splendr.ai is a new document automation platform designed by lawyers to solve the biggest pain points in legal drafting. It uses your own best clauses, simplifies template creation, and allows you to quickly draft your own documents or compare and analyze third-party documents you’re reviewing. We hosted a webinar with the founder of Splendr in January about the power of clause libraries and how Splendr works. Click here to watch a replay.
2. Simplify task management. Hoop.app is a new tool from the founders of Trello (still our favourite work management platform) that pulls all your tasks and action items from Slack, emails, and meetings into a single place. The only downside (and it’s a big one) is that it does not integrate with Microsoft. So if you’re a Slack and Google user, it’s worth having a look. If you’re a Microsoft user, it won’t work for you. 
3. Automate inbox management. These two aren’t new, but both SaneBox and Superhuman automate the grind in your inbox. They can filter your email, banish spam, snooze emails, set follow-up reminders, and much more. We’ve got clients using one or the other and saving hours of time every week. 

Pro Tip: You don’t have to overhaul everything overnight. Solve one problem at a time. Identify your biggest headache and look for a tool that addresses it. 

By letting technology take some of the weight off your shoulders, you’ll have more time to focus on what you love about practicing law. Work smarter, not harder—you’ve earned it!

- Karen and David