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What are you
procrastinating
on? If you are
procrastinating on an activity,
it’s probably because there’s
something about it that you
disagree with, doesn’t match your
values or is just plain uncomfortable
for you. If that’s the case then it’s
unlikely you’ll consistently keep
up with it. Instead, you’ll just keep
beating yourself up because you
didn’t do it. Why put yourself
through that torture? If you keep
telling yourself you “should,” “have
to,” or “want to” tackle something
on your list but you haven’t gotten
around to it, ditch it!
How much time do you have?
Have you ever evaluated how much
time it takes to complete each
marketing task? Is it possible that
you are doing more marketing work
than you have time for? Take a look
at your schedule and determine
how much time you can reasonably
devote to marketing your practice.
Compare that to how much time
it takes to do all the marketing
tasks you have on your to-do
list. Chances are good there’s an
imbalance. Determine what you can
delegate or ditch in order to regain
control of your schedule.
If you answer those three questions
honestly and adjust accordingly,
Ditching the List
If you’re a go-with-the-flow, ratherdo-what-I-love kind of person, then
there’s another way to stay on top
of your marketing tasks. Once you
know what will work for you, ditch
the list. Yup, that’s what I said: Let
go of the written list entirely.
For many of us, the list itself creates
“have-tos,” “shoulds” and other
stressors. Once you’ve gotten rid of
all the tasks that aren’t a good fit,
then you know what you need to
do. Simply do what fits when you
are ready to do it.
Consistency is still a requirement, of
course, but that doesn’t mean you
have to commit to a set schedule.
It may mean stockpiling some
marketing to be scheduled out
later. It may mean giving yourself
one day a week to be creative and
work on whatever marketing you
want to work on. It may mean giving
yourself some time every day to
work on whatever marketing tasks
strike your fancy. It’s up to you to
decide when, where and how you
want to work on your marketing.
All About Trust
the result will be a manageable todo list aligned with your schedule,
energy and personality. If you’re
a detail-oriented person who can
work through a small list without
getting overwhelmed, turn your
to-do list into a monthly marketing
checklist and commit to sticking
with it.
Make sure you revisit your list
regularly, checking in with all three
questions: An annual review is
a good standard to set. Another
great time to check in is when your
business shifts into a new phase.
Finally, be sure to check in if a sense
of overwhelm is creeping in again.
Listen to your gut: If it doesn’t feel
right, re-evaluate.
What if you go with the flow, but
a member of your team or your
virtual assistant does not? Invite
him or her to be keeper of the list.
Design an alliance that will honor
your free spirit, creativity and
desire to work in your own time
frame, as well as your colleague’s
desire to consistently get your
message out into the world. Find
the happy medium.
Trust yourself, too. Have faith in
your own way of marketing, and let
it guide you as you spread the word
about the amazing work you do.
Coaching World 11