Eat The Frog
If it's your job to eat a frog it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first.
Don’t panic, eating a frog is obviously a metaphor. It was developed by self-help guru Brian Tracy, after reading a popular quote by Mark Twain.
What is The Frog then?
The frog is that one thing, that one task on your To-Do list that you have absolutely no motivation to do, and that you most likely procrastinate on. Completing this task allows you to get closer to achieving your goals and moving in the right direction.
The frog can be an assignment you’re dreading, a major project with a tight deadline, or a high-priority task that’s giving you anxiety. Whatever it is, do it first thing in the morning because research suggests that in the early morning hours we have more willpower and mental clarity than the rest of the day. As the day moves forward, we become more and more tired, and willpower and clarity are already depleted from doing smaller, less important tasks first.
Another cool benefit of finishing the biggest task first thing in the day is that you get both momentum and a sense of accomplishment, and all the other tasks of the day seem easier in comparison.
How to Identify The Frog?
Similar to the Eisenhower Box technique, each task on your To-Do list can be put in one of four categories:
- Things you don’t want to do, and actually don’t need to do.
- Things you don’t want to do, but actually need to do.
- Things you want to do and actually need to do.
- Things you want to do, but actually don’t need to do.
The frog is the Things you don’t want to do, but actually need to do.
So, I guess the order for the four types of tasks would go 2, 3, 4, and then 1. Would you agree?
Take Action - Eat Your Frog
The easiest way to eat the frog is to start. Taking action is key. Just pick your frog and eat it without thinking too much about it. Focus on the task at hand until it’s finished.
Being busy all day doesn’t mean we’re accomplishing an important task, therefore eating the frog first thing in the day can move us in the right direction.
What if I Have 2 Frogs?
Well…then you’re *ucked. Just kidding.
If you have more than one frog (more than one important task to accomplish that day), simply tackle the biggest/ugliest one first. Once you’re done, take a break and then tackle the second one.
Practice is the key to mastering any skill, the same with eating the frogs. The more often you do it, the easier will get. With practice, you can develop a habit of automatically tackling the biggest, most important task first thing each morning.
Pro Tip
Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.
What is your frog? What is the one task you despise doing every day? Once you have chosen your frog make it a habit to wake up every morning and do that task first.
P.S.: This post is a part of a bigger one called The Best Productivity Systems in The World.
Cheers!
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