In our most recent poll about personal improvements dealers hope to make in 2017, 35% of the respondents said they wanted to delegate more. That’s a worthy New Year’s resolution and the off-season is a good time to start practicing. By letting others do more, you have more time to plan for growth and improvements — or simply to work a more reasonable amount of hours.

Here are 7 strategies to help you delegate more from a recent Inc.com article:

1. Learn to let go.

Start small, delegating only the smallest tasks, and gradually work your way up. Get to know your team better and improve the trust among you and your co-workers.

2. Establish a firm priority system.

Create at least four categories of tasks, based on the degree of effort and skill the task requires. The highest-skilled category should contain tasks that you keep on your own plate, while those in the lower-skilled categories can be assigned to others. Giving someone else responsibility for a high-effort, low-skill task will save you lots of time.

3. Play to your team’s strengths.

When delegating, take a look at your team and assign tasks to whoever has the greatest number of relevant skills for that task. Be consistent so that employee can develop expertise for the tasks.

4. Always include instructions.

Including details and deadlines to avoid confusion and ensure the task will be carried out effectively. Your employees will appreciate the information and the chance to succeed.

5. Don't be afraid to teach new skills.

Just because your team doesn’t have the skills for a particular task doesn’t mean you can’t pass on responsibility. Most skills can be learned, so don't be afraid to teach as a part of the delegation process.

6. Trust, but verify.

Once a task is delegated, trust your teammate to execute it. This will allow the person to tackle the work the way they feel is best. However, don't be afraid to occasionally step in and verify that the task is moving along as planned.

7. Use feedback loops to improve delegation moving forward.

Feedback is the most important part of the delegation process and it works both ways. If your employees have done well with a task you assigned, let them know by publicly thanking them and offering genuine praise. If they've fallen short, don't be afraid to give them some constructive criticism.

Be receptive to feedback as well regarding how you delegated the task and what things you might improve upon to increase success.