Catch a Tiger by the Tail – Jungle Marketing Tip #2.

Yesterday I talked about breaking down big tasks into bite-sized pieces as a way to “eat your elephant.” Today my tip is how to “catch your tiger” or the planning part of organizing.

The tiger above is just a cub. He hasn’t gotten big and shaggy yet. This is the best to time to catch those tigers –when they’re small.

To translate this into ‘business speak’: After you’ve broken your big project down into smaller tasks, schedule time to complete them and stick to your schedule. This is a simple, but essential step in the process.

I tend to make plans, schedule my time, and then get distracted by “urgent” things that aren’t necessarily important. (If you’ve ever read any of Steven Covey’s books or used a Franklin Day Planner System, you will understand these terms already.)

Urgent things are the telephone ringing, emails, or the next chapter in the newest mystery I am reading.

Important things are writing on my blog, keeping my books up to date, and spending time with my family. When I schedule the important things and stick to my schedule I am happier and I accomplish my goals.

As I was writing this article, this quote appeared on my digital dayplanner: “People have more options than they think they do. But most people spend more time planning their vacations than thinking about what they want to do with their lives.” Bob McDonald – The Lemming Conspiracy

Marketing takes planning and scheduling. Many people don’t market until they need more business, but marketing is best done a little bit at a time each day. It can also be fun.

So what do you think? Do you spend your time with ‘urgent’ or ‘important’ things?

(P.S. Stay Tuned – Thursday I’ll be discussing Zebras and why stripes are important.)