Eat the Frog: How to Boost Your Productivity

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Everyone struggles with a lack of motivation and procrastination. And yet some people fail while others achieve success.

The difference between these kinds of people is how they tackle productivity. While others rely on bursts of inspiration, successful people develop certain habits and routines that guarantee they get things done. One such habit is called the Eat the Frog Method.

What is the Eat the Frog Method?

Eat the Frog simply means doing (eating) the hardest, most important task (the frog) first before anything else. This is likely the task you dread most. Once you’ve eaten the frog, you’re confident the worst is behind you and so you take a more positive approach to the rest of your day.

Those new to this method often mistake the frog as the worst, most annoying task on their to-do list. In reality, your frog is the most important task that you have no motivation to do and are most likely to procrastinate on.

They may feel unpleasant and hard to swallow, but once you’ve “eaten” them, you’ll find that the things left on your plate won’t be as bad.

This “productivity hack” is perfect for people who:

  • Juggle multiple projects at the same time.
  • Have trouble finishing tasks.
  • Face constant deadlines.
  • Don’t know how which tasks to prioritize.
  • Can’t stick to a daily routine.

Origin of Eat The Frog

Brian Tracy, author of Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time devised the titular method, inspired by an old quote.

“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”

Despite no evidence that he said it, many attribute this quote to Mark Twain simply because it sounds like something he might say. But the first documented use of the phrase was by French writer Nicolas Chamfort in 1790 who later attributed it to a man named Monsieur de Lassay.

Whatever its origin, it now serves as the base of a concept that many successful people now use to ensure they’re productive and stay productive.

4 Reasons to Eat the Frog

Productivity systems differ in their methods and goals. Eat the Frog is a habit-forming strategy focused on two things:

  • Applying constant progress to your top priorities.
  • Building momentum in your day-to-day task management by starting with your hardest, most critical tasks.

Here are a few reasons why this method is worth adding to your routine.

1. It uses your most productive hours.

Behavioral scientist Dan Ariely observes that you are at your cognitive best right after you wake up. This state of peak energy and focus lasts for about two hours, which you can take advantage of if you follow the Eat the Frog method.

Discipline is a huge part of being productive, so you could take this chance to make it a habit. Use those two hours to eat your frog.

2. It’s straightforward and flexible.

More complicated methods take more time and effort to set up and maintain. Some of them might even be limited to certain activities and goals. This sucks up energy that you would otherwise use for something more productive.

Compared to others, Eat the Frog is a simple productivity system that you can quickly start or fall back to if you ever try other systems. It’s also highly adaptable to any task and goal, no matter the job, the task, or the situation.

3. It promotes focus and prioritization.

A sign of procrastination is tinkering around with different tasks without actually finishing anything. In a modern workplace, where most people continuously deal with multiple things, trying to focus almost always leads to failure.

Dealing with emails, meetings, and work and personal-related issues leaves you unable to do your most important tasks. Eat the Frog fixes that by requiring you to start with the most important things first and push against whatever distractions you encounter.

4. It gives you a clear, daily task.

A lot of times, you’re often lost with what to do or what to do first. Eat the Frog helps you prioritize by having you choose your first task of the day.

A bad start easily derails the rest of your day. As stated earlier, by starting with your hardest task first, the rest of your day will likely be better.

Accomplishing a big task is an achievement. Achievements work wonders for how you view your day. Eat the Frog simply sets you up for the win.

Identifying Your Frogs

If you want to identify your frogs, making a list of your tasks is always a good start. You can do this the night before to save up more time.

You might think that you have a massive list full of complicated tasks. The truth is, you inflate these tasks in your head. Putting them on paper recalibrates your perspective and you’ll find that a lot of them aren’t so bad at all.

Once you’ve assembled your tasks for the day (or the next day), organize them into four categories:

  • Tasks you don’t want to do, but need to do.
  • Tasks you want to do and also need to do.
  • Tasks you want to do, but don’t need to do.
  • Tasks you don’t want to do and also don’t need to do.

Your frog is the task you don’t want to do, but need to do. If you have multiple, start with the biggest one and work your way down.

It might seem easy, but the point of this method isn’t just the order in which you accomplish things. It’s also about disciplining yourself to finish one category of tasks before moving on to the next.

Take Action

All productivity methods eventually become habits when you do them long enough. But only become habits when you actually start implementing them actively and consistently in your life.

Failure to start things is what prevents many people from seizing opportunities, achieving goals, and changing their lives. Goals aren’t reached by sitting around and waiting for things to fall into your lap.

Successful people always take action, working almost single-mindedly until they accomplish a task. Cultivating that sense of discipline is a requirement if you want to improve yourself. As time goes on and you acquire healthy habits, the journey may not be easier, but it will definitely become smoother.

Have you tried the Eat the Frog method? Share your experience in the comments below!

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