Eat That Frog
Tackle procrastination head on ….. Eat That Frog!
What Does It Mean?
“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.” Mark Twain
This means that you should start your day by tackling your most challenging task.
How To Implement It
Eat That Frog means you complete your most difficult task first and do not postpone tackling it.
The frog is the task that you are most likely to procrastinate on.
It is also usually the one most likely to make a significant difference to your larger goals if completed.
Here’s how to use the Eat That Frog technique to beat procrastination.
1. Identify Your Frog
Write down your to-do list.
Pick your most challenging task from the list.
Don’t cheat and choose a very small task!
It must be a meaningful task.
2. Eat It First Thing!
Complete the task identified first thing in the morning.
Break it down into smaller digestible chunks if it is too big to complete in one day.
Ensure you do not move on to doing anything else until you have completed this.
3. Repeat This Every Day
Repeat this every day.
Selecting and completing your most significant task first thing each day will pay great dividends over time, with the benefits compounding the longer you keep it up.
It’s not an accident that Mark Twain was such a prolific author!
Why Use It?
Eat That Frog is a simple and very effective time management tactic used by millions.
1. Beats Procrastination
It doesn’t allow you to procrastinate by looking for the perfect moment to complete the task.
You start it as soon as possible, which leaves no room for procrastinating.
When learning time management skills, procrastination is one of the biggest challenges!
2. Promotes Deep Work
This technique is based on deep work.
It forces you to channel all your energy into finishing this one critical task.
Doing this ensures you accomplish something meaningful rather than wasting time on ‘busywork’.
3. Focuses Your Most Efficient Work Hours
It is no secret that not all work hours are equal.
Feeling a little drowsy after a heavy lunch is normal, and it is probably not the best time to get serious work done.
Eat That Frog requires you to complete your task at the beginning of your working day – when most people’s energy levels are at their peak.
Timeboxing is very similar as it also takes advantage of your most efficient work hours.
4. Simple and Flexible
Eat That Frog is very quick and simple.
It is also very flexible. Anyone can use it, no matter their profession or level of seniority.
Conclusion
Eat That Frog is a simple, easy and flexible way to stop procrastinating.
It focuses you on finishing your most critical task of the day first before doing anything else.
We encourage everyone to try it.
