Stop Using Slack and Email to Assign Tasks to Your Virtual Assistant
Here's why using Slack and email to assign tasks to your virtual assistant might be holding you back, and what you should be doing instead.
This idea was actually inspired by a personal experience. I recently had a client who insisted on using Slack to assign me tasks, and let me tell you, it was a nightmare.
My goal today is to save you hours of time and a ton of frustration.
In today’s post, I’ll discuss why Slack and email aren’t the best tools for managing tasks with your virtual assistant. Instead, I’m going to introduce you to a game-changing tool—Asana—that will really change the way you assign tasks, track progress, and keep everything organized.
If you've ever found yourself lost in endless Slack threads or frantically digging through email chains to track progress, this post is for you! I’m going to show you how to streamline your task management process and make your work life a whole lot easier.
Either keep reading or watch the video below:
Why Slack and Email Aren’t Effective for Task Management
Slack can be great for quick communication and team chat, but when it comes to assigning tasks, it’s just not built for that purpose.
Here’s what would happen: My client would drop a task in a Slack channel, thinking it was an efficient way to get things done. But a few days later, she’d find herself scrolling through countless messages, trying to find out where things stood. She couldn’t easily track what was done, what was pending, or even who was responsible for what. As much as I tried to keep her updated, it was nearly impossible for her to have a clear view of the project’s progress.
Imagine trying to manage a project when all your updates and communications are scattered across different Slack threads. It’s stressful, it’s inefficient, and it’s a recipe for things slipping through the cracks.
The same goes for email. I know many of you might be using email to assign tasks as well. And while email is great for formal communication, it’s not designed for task management either.
With email, you might have to sift through multiple threads, forward important messages, and constantly remind your VA about tasks—all of which drain your time and energy.
Think about it. How many times have you had to dig through your inbox to find that one email with the important task details, only to realize you’ve missed a deadline because it got buried under a pile of other emails? It’s happened to all of us, and it’s a clear sign that email isn’t the best tool for this job.
The Messiness of Slack and Email for Task Management
The biggest issue with using Slack and email for task management is the messiness. Slack is a communication tool, not a work management tool, and it shouldn’t be forced into a role it’s not designed for.
The same goes for email—it’s meant for communication, not for organizing and tracking tasks.
In the case of my client, the constant back-and-forth in Slack led to confusion and miscommunication. She was always trying to sift through previous threads to find status updates, and she never quite knew if things were on track.
This lack of clarity meant that both of us were left feeling frustrated. I was doing my best to be communicative, but she struggled to see all the updates buried in Slack threads.
With emails, it was even worse. Important details would get lost in the shuffle, and we’d often have to follow up on tasks just to confirm that they were still being worked on. It’s easy to see how this can become overwhelming, especially if you’re managing multiple projects or working with several team members.
The truth is, when you use tools like Slack and email for task management, you’re setting yourself up for inefficiency.
These tools just don’t have the built-in features that are necessary for keeping tasks organized and on track. They lack the ability to assign tasks clearly, track progress in a visual way, or keep all relevant information in one place.
The Asana Solution
That’s where Asana—or really any dedicated task management tool—comes in.
Asana is specifically designed to help you manage tasks and projects efficiently. Unlike Slack and email, Asana allows you to assign tasks properly, communicate about them within the task itself, set deadlines, and keep everything organized in one place.
It is designed for this exact purpose, and it makes life so much easier for both you and your virtual assistant.
Let’s break down why Asana is such a great solution.
First, Asana lets you create a task, assign it to your VA, set a due date, and add any necessary details or files.
All communication about that task stays within the task itself, so there’s no need to dig through Slack threads or email chains to find information. Everything is in one place, easy to track, and everyone knows exactly what they need to do.
One of the best features of Asana is its ability to provide a visual representation of your tasks and projects, in the way that works best for you, because it's customizable to your needs.
You can use different views—like list view, board view, or calendar view—to see your tasks in the way that makes the most sense for you.
For example, the board view lets you see tasks as cards that move through different stages of completion, while the calendar view lets you see all your deadlines at a glance and colour-coded.
This level of visibility is something you just can’t get with Slack or email.
When I have helped clients to make the switch to Asana from using Slack or email, the transformations have been incredible.
You go from feeling overwhelmed and out of control to having complete visibility and control over your projects.
You'll easily see what is done, what is in progress, and what needs your attention.
And for your team, it will be a game-changer too—they'll be able to focus on getting the work done without worrying about whether you are up to date or if anything is slipping through the cracks.
Another great aspect of Asana is its integration capabilities. It can sync with other tools you might already be using, like Google Drive, Slack, and even your email. This means you can centralize all your work in one place, without losing the benefits of the tools you love.
For example, if you still want to use Slack for quick communication, you can integrate it with Asana so that updates in Asana are automatically posted to a Slack channel. This way, you get the best of both worlds—real-time communication and organized task management.
Setting Up Asana for Task Management
Let’s talk about setting up Asana for task management.
It’s super simple, and once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.
You can start by creating a project specifically for tasks you want to assign to your virtual assistant. You can treat it as a brain dump project, or link the tasks with other projects to keep them organized but also always have a place to go when you need a reminder of which tasks you specifically had in mind for your VA.
Within that project, you can create tasks for each piece of work you need them to do. Assign the task to them, set a due date, and add any relevant details.
With Asana, you also have the ability to add subtasks. For example, if you have a larger project, you can break it down into smaller, more manageable tasks. This way, your VA isn’t overwhelmed, and you both have a clear workflow to follow.
You can also add attachments, like files or links, directly to the task. This means no more hunting through emails to find that one document you need—it’s all right there in Asana.
You can even add comments directly to the task, or have general communication outside of tasks with the messaging feature, making it easy to keep all communication in one place. (So, you don't really need Slack at all lol)
By the way, if you’re ready to get serious about streamlining your task management, I can help you through a complete custom setup. I'll come in to your account, do a sweep of what's already there (if anything), and set up all your systems custom to your unique business's needs. I can even add in personal systems for you while I'm at it! Once I'm done, you'll have gone from unorganized to a built-out system unique to your business - and it's all done within one day! Click here to get yourself in my calendar (I only do 2 per month!).
Benefits of Using Asana Over Slack and Email
Switching to Asana has so many benefits.
First, it gives you and your VA clear visibility over all tasks and projects.
There’s no more guessing or checking in multiple places to see what’s happening. Everything is in one place, and you can even use Asana’s calendar view to see deadlines at a glance.
Another huge benefit is the ability to track progress in real time.
As tasks get completed, you can see updates instantly, which keeps everything moving forward without unnecessary check-ins. This makes both you and your VA more productive, and it also reduces stress because you know exactly where everything stands.
Asana also makes it easy to prioritize tasks.
You can easily drag and drop tasks to rearrange them based on priority, ensuring that your VA is always working on the most important things first. This is something that’s much harder to manage through Slack or email.
Finally, Asana helps with accountability.
By assigning tasks and setting deadlines, everyone knows what they’re responsible for and when it’s due. This clarity helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures that work is completed on time.
Common Objections and Misconceptions
Now, I know you might be thinking, “But Slack and email are so easy and familiar—why should I switch?”
I get it—change can be hard, especially if you’re used to a certain way of working. But let me tell you, the benefits of using a dedicated task management tool like Asana far outweigh the convenience of sticking with Slack and email.
One common misconception is that setting up a new tool will be time-consuming and complicated.
But in reality, Asana is incredibly user-friendly, and the time you invest in setting it up will pay off tenfold in increased efficiency and reduced stress. And if you don't have the time to invest, you can hire me to get it done within one day!
Have you heard the saying "You either pay with your time or your money"? It's so true and it's your call to make!
Plus, once you and your team are familiar with the system, you’ll find it much easier to manage tasks and stay on track.
Another objection I often hear is that people are worried about losing the flexibility of quick communication in Slack or email.
But remember, Asana has a lot of these communication capabilities built in.
And if you really want to, you can still use these other tools for communication! Asana can be there to handle the task management part, keeping everything organized and easy to track, while Slack and email can still be used for quick chats or formal communication.
Getting Started with Asana
If you’re ready to make the switch, here’s how you can get started with Asana.
First, sign up for a free account if you don’t already have one.
Then, take some time to explore the platform and familiarize yourself with the different features. I recommend starting with a small project to get the hang of things before rolling it out across your entire business.
Once you’re comfortable with the basics, start creating projects for other areas in your business.
Assign tasks, set deadlines, and start organizing everything in one place.
You’ll quickly see how much easier it is to manage tasks this way, and you’ll wonder why you didn’t make the switch sooner.
I want to encourage you to stop using Slack and email to assign tasks to your virtual assistant.
While these tools can have their place, they’re not designed for task management, and they can actually create more work and stress for you in the long run.
Instead, make the switch to Asana, and see how it can transform the way you manage your business.
