You open your laptop.
Your brain says “remember those marketing tasks? we should post more.”
Your calendar says “you’re 2 weeks behind on that newsletter.”
Your gut says “maybe I should make a quiz?”
And your project management system says “LOL.”

If you’re an established service provider trying to grow sustainably, chances are your brain is juggling more marketing tasks and ideas than you know what to do with. There’s that mile-long list of “shoulds” you keep meaning to get to. Not enough time to make sense of them all. And a nagging sense that (even though you’re busy right at this moment) you’re not always doing the right things to actually move the needle. Or if you’re anything like me, you’re worried that you’re not going to STAY busy.

It’s not you.

It’s the noise.

Here’s a more grounded way to sort your marketing tasks without burning out, spiraling into a planning hole, or rage-unsubscribing from twelve newsletters in one sitting. (I mean, do that too. If you’re meant to hear from someone, they’ll pop back onto your radar.)

Marketing Tasks #1: Start with your actual goal, not the loudest thought in your head

When it comes to deciding what marketing tasks to work on next, I generally default to the thing that’s been nagging at me the longest… and I see my clients do this too.

Maybe you keep thinking your Instagram grid looks dated. Or you’ve had a half-written welcome sequence loitering in your Flodesk since 2022. Or you saw someone’s gorgeous lead magnet and felt the sudden urge to rebuild your entire brand from scratch. (UM HEYYYYY YOU ARE ME)

But just because a task is top-of-mind doesn’t mean it should be your top priority.

Instead, try asking: What am I selling next?

Are you launching something? Booking more clients? Building your list for later?

When you get clear on your next sales goal, everything else snaps into focus. You start choosing marketing tasks that support where you’re headed, instead of just reacting to what feels loud or overdue.

And no, I’m not saying a rebrand is never the answer! Sometimes it’s exactly the clarity shift you need to land where you’re meant to be. It just shouldn’t become your default “fix-it” button every time your marketing feels off. A great rebrand works best when you’ve got a steady-ish flow of clients you actually know… and know how to speak to. That kind of insight is the secret sauce. (Also… if and when you’re ready? Yes, we can help with that too right here)

(You might also like: I Quit IG. Here’s What Happened to My Business.)

Marketing Tasks #2: Sort your ideas by effort vs. impact

Once your sales goal is locked in, pull out that list and look at it through a different lens.

Draw a grid (or just make one up in your head). Think:
— How much time, energy, or brainpower will this take?
— How much of a difference will it make in your business right now?

Your marketing task sweet spot? Low effort, high impact. The quiet wins live the tiny changes that make a big difference without hijacking your whole week.

Things like:
— Adding a call to action to your booking page
— Connecting your opt-in form to your email platform
— Sending one thoughtful follow-up email to someone already in your orbit

Small tasks don’t mean small impact! These are the ones that really compound over time. 💪

A full website overhaul or a 4-week funnel sprint is shiny and exciting (and yep, we can totally help with those too). 

But unless your marketing tasks list is tied directly to what you’re working toward right now? It’s probably going to become the thing you keep pushing to “later” while your calendar fills with client calls.

(Or… pass that whole pile off to us for a Marketing Sprint.)

Marketing Tasks #3: Timebox instead of task-dump

You don’t need a better to-do list. 

You need better boundaries.

Rather than writing down “revamp nurture sequence” or “write sales page,” block a chunk of time on your calendar, say, 90 minutes, and pick one piece of the project to work on.

This is what I’ve been doing lately: blocking off one hour every morning and knocking out what I can. 

It’s simple. And it’s working like gangbusters. 

And having the list in one place? Surprisingly comforting. (Also makes it really easy to delegate it later if I get overwhelmed, which: Marketing Sprint. Yes, I absolutely hire my own staff too! 🤣)

Progress isn’t about ticking every box in one sitting. It’s about doing a little bit, as often as you can.

(You might also like: 7 Ways to Create a Marketing To-Do List That Actually Gets Done)

Marketing Tasks #4: Match your tasks to your brain

Writing a newsletter is not the same brain as organizing your onboarding flow. Choosing brand fonts is not the same as outlining a webinar. Try batching by energy type.

Writing → needs focus.
Planning → needs quiet.
Designing → needs space to play.
Decision-making → needs clarity, not chaos.
ALL OF THESE → need you to scroll WAY less.

Writing, planning, editing, designing, and decision-making all use different muscles, and your productivity increases exponentially when you stop trying to do them all at once. 

Don’t wedge “update onboarding workflow” between two back-to-back client calls. Don’t try to write a sales page on a Friday afternoon while half your brain is already in the weekend. 

And if you’re working solo, remember: the goal isn’t to be a multi-tasking robot. It’s to be a human running a business that respects your actual bandwidth! (Also, that’s literally why Marketing Sprints exist.)

Marketing Tasks #5: Urgency ≠ Importance

If you’re the kind of person who drops everything to respond to a DM, tweak a color in your Canva file, or respond to a vague client inquiry even though it’s your day off… um, hey, I feel you, I used to BE you… and this one’s for you.

A lot of times, urgency is… well, it’s just made up. It’s built into the platforms we use and the culture we’re in. But your business doesn’t thrive on panic. It grows from thoughtful, consistent actions that are aligned with your bigger goals. 

Please, take a long slow breath and read that paragraph again. 

Next time you catch yourself jumping to answer something “just real quick,” pause. Ask if this thing is moving you toward your actual goal or just giving your anxiety something to nibble on. 

If you keep prioritizing whatever’s loudest in the moment, you’ll always feel like you’re playing catch-up, which means you’ll never get to the deep work that actually builds momentum.

(You might also like: How to Create a Marketing Plan Without Social Media.)

TL;DR:

When everything feels important and your to-do list looks like a tornado hit a sticky note factory:

• Reconnect to your sales goal
  
• Sort tasks by effort + impact
  
• Block time, don’t just list things
  
• Match your brain to the task
  
• Let urgency take a seat (preferably in another room)
  
• And maybe… ask for help
  

Because sometimes the best thing you can do for your business isn’t “do more” but to do less, better.

🧩 Want help with that? Marketing Sprints are a focused, done-for-you sprint where I knock out your most important marketing projects, so you can finally exhale and get back to what you do best. MORE INFO HERE!