One day I’ll have time to make another post about an amazing workshop I attended or an informative book I read. Today is not that day. Today I am trying to survive. And now that our Tennessee governor is officially signing an order requiring us to stay home, it has become all too real. We are stuck in this situation for a bit longer.
My husband and I are trying to sync our calendars, remind my kindergartner what he has learned this year, give our toddler some attention (aka iPad) and try not to kill each other while doing it. We are constantly juggling meetings and tasks and due dates that haven’t halted just because our office situation has transformed into something out of a Steven Soderbergh movie.
After a couple of mild anxiety attacks, lots of words of encouragement from people, and maybe some alcohol, I realized that I know how to do this. I’m the most organized person I know! This week I’m trying to focus on one type of task per day. For marketers who are responsible for every aspect of a company’s messaging, branding and communication efforts, it can be overwhelming in a non-pandemic scenario. Throw in a couple of kids and a husband, a home office that lacks the delicious coffee of your downtown accommodations and suddenly you’re slipping and sliding through this downward spiral of confusion and frustration and…. what was I talking about?
Exactly. So, I created a task-focused planner for each day of the week to help me stay on track and focused. I placed it eye-level, right in my face, so that anytime I feel myself losing it (in all the ways) I can just glance at my list and see what to do. It has helped me immensely. I almost feel grounded… almost.
This is specific to the types of activities that I manage day-to-day, but I hope it will help you find some mental peace. You can click to see it full size. Good luck everyone!
Task-focused marketing planner during COVID-19 work from home
Erin C. Kennedy 