With apologies to my vegan friends, sometimes it is really difficult to eat an elephant.
You have to take one bite at a time. Marketing is an incremental sport that requires you to begin. You need to start and get things rolling so that you have a little forward motion.
In a conversation with a colleague last week, she was reviewing all the things on her to-do list – and we were putting them into an A, B, and C priority. It was clear what she had to focus on, but she was wondering when she will ever get time to work on the B’s and C’s.
The Incremental Nature of Marketing Projects
Make an appointment with yourself
My suggestion was to schedule a one-hour appointment each week called B Projects. Put it on your calendar and block the time. Give yourself permission to work for at least one hour on one or two of the smaller, lower priorities activities that you can’t seem to get to each week.
Move the Ball Forward
Sometimes you need to get some of those B level projects started. An hour per week is an incremental step to help you get some important things moving in the right direction. Maybe you can start to do some research or begin to write a marketing brief about the work. You might have a call with a colleague to get their thoughts, input and ideas around the subject. By scheduling an appointment with yourself, it gives the B’s and C’s a chance to get accomplished.
By scheduling a one-hour meeting with yourself each week, at the end of the month, you will have put at least four hours of work into the effort. Maybe its scope is clearer, and you have a better understanding of what it will take to complete the effort. Even though the project may remain a B, if it’s worth listing on your to-do list, it is worth accomplishing it, even if it takes a few months.
The Calendar is Your Friend
Think about aligning your workload and your calendar. If you should be focused on a few projects with 80% of your time, then how can you use the other 20% to keep things moving forward?
Assigning yourself time (and permission) to get work moving along makes sense. Of course, you have to certain that what is on your To Do List aligns with your manager or supervisors short and mid-term needs. So take a small step forward and set up a meeting – with you.
I have to run. I have an appointment with myself to move some :”B & C” level projects forward.
Could you use a time-management coach? Need help with some of the practical aspects of getting marketing work done? I can help with over thirty years of experience in a range of marketing roles including time management. Don’t forget, give me a call.
