Eat the Frog: Why Doing Your Worst Task First Changes Your Whole Day

There's a task on your list right now that you don't want to do. You know exactly which one I mean.

You've moved it from Monday to Tuesday to Wednesday. You've done four other jobs around it, some of which weren't even on the list. You may even have found something completely unnecessary to clean, organise or research because, apparently, that was suddenly more important.

We've all been there and I see this problem with every client I work with and also myself of course. And it doesn’t just apply to work tasks it’s also applicable to home life.

For me, the classic example has always been sending my invoices (I have no idea why). I can happily clear an inbox, organise a spreadsheet or create a new process, but when I need to do the monthly invoicing, suddenly there's something else I'd rather be doing.

That task is the frog.

And sometimes, the best thing you can do is simply get it out of the way.

What does "eat the frog" actually mean?

The idea is usually credited to a quote often attributed to Mark Twain and then productivity author Brian Tracy turned the idea into a whole method in his book Eat That Frog!.

The principle is actually very simple and one that works really well for both myself and some of my clients. Simply do your most important or most dreaded task first, before the distractions of the day begin.

That’s it. Just pick the thing up you've been putting off and do it.

If you've read my post about The Pomodoro Technique, you'll know I'm a fan of using simple techniques to make getting started a little easier. The Pomodoro Technique can work particularly well when your frog feels like a big one.

Why do I think it works so well?

The problem with a task we don't want to do isn't always the task itself. Quite often, it's the thought of doing it. You think about it while you're answering emails. You think about it while you're making a cup of tea. You think about it while you're organising your paperclips.

That little bit of mental clutter adds up and it’s always on your mind which can grate.

Getting the task done first can help for a few reasons.

• You haven't used up your decision-making energy yet. Your brain is generally fresher at the start of the day, so you're less likely to spend half an hour negotiating with yourself about whether you really need to do the thing.

• There are fewer distractions. Your inbox hasn't filled up and other people's priorities haven't landed in your lap yet.

• Everything afterwards feels easier and you’re more motivated. Once the thing you've been avoiding is done, the rest of your list suddenly doesn't look quite so bad. And honestly, there is something very satisfying about crossing off the task you've been avoiding all week.

Tips for eating the frog

1. One frog only. If everything is your frog, nothing is!

2. Do it before your inbox.

3. If the task is too big, break it down.

I challenge you!

For the next five working days, choose your frog either the night before or first thing in the morning and get it done before you move on to everything else.

Then notice two things:

How does the rest of your day feel?

And:

Are the same frogs always coming back?

If they are, then maybe that's where you need to start thinking about outsourcing. And if your pond is permanently full of frogs all of the time, perhaps it's time to stop eating them and start outsourcing them!