Guide
Eat the frog: do your most important task first
"Eat the frog" means you start the day with the task you most want to avoid, which is usually also the one that matters most. Once it is done, the rest of the day feels lighter. Brian Tracy made the idea popular in his book Eat That Frog!
How to eat the frog
- 1At the end of the day, choose tomorrow's frog: one task that is important and that you tend to put off.
- 2Make it concrete. Not "work on the report", but "write the introduction of the report".
- 3Give it a rough duration and plan it at the start of your day.
- 4Start before email, chat or news. Close what distracts you.
- 5When the frog is done, the rest of the day is yours.
How to choose your frog
- Ask: which task would make the biggest difference if it were done today?
- Pick the one you feel resistance to. That resistance is often the clue.
- Too big for one morning? Split it and make the first part today's frog.
- One frog per day. Two frogs means you will probably eat neither.
When it does not work
Not everyone has their best energy in the morning. If your focus peaks after lunch, eat the frog then, and protect that time with a block in your day; time blocking helps. The point is to do the important task before the small ones fill the day.
It also fails when the frog is too big. A task of six hours is not a frog but a project; give it room across the week with a week plan.
Eat the frog in Plenzu
- Give your frog a duration and drag it to the start of your day in the Planner.
- The time bar shows whether the frog and the rest of the day fit together.
- Start a focus timer round on it to get going.
Questions
What exactly is the frog?
The most important task of your day that you are most likely to put off. Usually it is big, hard or unpleasant, and doing it makes a real difference.
Does it have to be first thing in the morning?
It works best early, before smaller tasks take over. But first thing in your best hours is what counts, and those are not the same for everyone.
How is this different from the Eisenhower matrix?
The Eisenhower matrix helps you sort many tasks by urgency and importance. Eat the frog picks one important task and tells you when to do it: first.