My personal thoughts on "Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy."
As someone constantly plagued with a to-do list 8 pages long that slowly but steadily continues to grow, any advice that makes my list less daunting is greatly appreciated. For the most part, time management principals have never really helped me very much. Even as I become more efficient with my time, the list continues to grow nevertheless and there never seems to be enough time. I can't help but think of David Gilmour singing my feelings exactly "And you run and run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking....racing around to come up behind you again." It is something that I have heard myself and others say countless times as an unending list of tasks surround our busy lives, "so much to do and so little time."
According to Brian Tracy, this does not have to be the case. The problem is not that we have too much to do, but that we are going about what items and the order of those items on our list all wrong. This is where my favorite point from the book comes in, the idea that, "there is NEVER enough time to do everything but there is ALWAYS enough time to do the most important things." He also points out that usually the most important things on our to-do list (the things that could make the largest positive effect on our lives) are the very items that we procrastinate on the most because of their size or difficulty. Thus enters the frog analogy...
Mark Twain once said, "if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long."
Sounds pretty gross, I know. But to tell you the truth it is a great piece of advice and it has changed the way I organize my day. By identifying and 'devouring' your frog first thing every day, you will see the greatest results from what you accomplish. This prevents you from procrastinating using easier, less important tasks to consume your day. Being busy does not mean you aren't being lazy! Be effective by identifying these most important tasks and motivate yourself to push through them to completion.
Tracy uses a list of several tips in his book that allow you to identify your frogs, organize them and execute these objectives in way that is more efficient and satisfying. A highly suggested read for everyone, but I will give you the Reader's Digest condensed version of my favorite highlights from the book.
- Start each day by identifying the most important task for that day and work on it unceasingly until it is completely done. If you have multiple frogs for that day, eat the biggest, ugliest frog first. Just get it over with! Once you start, it is much easier to keep going, and once it is complete you feel a rush of gratification. Avoid being tempted by clearing up smaller, less important tasks first. Checking your email first thing when you get into the office can be an addiction, but focus on getting your frog done first and do not deviate!
- Prepare before you begin. As a strategic firm, everything we do has a definitive plan of action, the foundation is key. We can bring that dedication to all tasks client or non-client related. Before you start any task, clear your desk (throw away the 20 empty Red Bull cans too) and only put the items you will need in front of you. Get all files, papers, research, etc. in front of you. Don't give yourself an excuse after you have started to get side tracked looking for things. Also plan out on paper all of the items within the project you will need to accomplish the goal, and steadily move through your plan.
- Constantly ask yourself throughout your day "Am I being productive?" This isn't a question of "am I playing around on YouTube" this is a question of are you working on tasks that will have the biggest positive effect on your life rather than smaller unimportant tasks first.
- Create scheduled time blocks dedicated to a particular important task. For large long-term projects or ongoing projects, schedule blocks of time to shut off everything and focus unceasingly on that objective. By having a dedicated time block for that activity you are more likely to stay on track and get more done.
- Determine your prime time for activity. Years ago, I never would have believed that I would be a morning person, but slowly I have discovered early in the morning is my most productive time (I blame Starbucks). For some people the wee hours of the morning are the most effective times for your work (mainly my techy developers). Identify when you are most effective and take full advantage of this knowledge.
- Use the Swiss Cheese Method. Especially for some of our larger projects, we can be working on an objective for years. It is best to break big tasks down into smaller pieces, and complete these individually. You won't get overwhelmed by the enormity of the project, but rather accomplish the individual chunk of the task at hand.
- Put deadlines on yourself (arbitrary or not). Now anyone that has been to college can tell you a thing or two about procrastination, they're experts. The idea you have all semester to write a paper, but somehow wait until the day before and you find yourself up all night with empty beef jerky packages and a bottle of NoDoz. Even in our adult life, we find ourselves doing this. Because of inaction on these important tasks we find ourselves rushing to finish and sacrificing the quality of our end product in the process. Put deadlines on yourself (AND KEEP THEM) by planning out each step of a project and scheduling them accordingly. Put the pressure on.
- Learn to say no to unimportant tasks. That's right Lumbergh, I won't file that TPS report. Identify unimportant and unnecessary tasks and simply say no. Eliminate them from your list because they are getting in the way of tasks that can really make a difference.
- Sharpen the saw and be the brightest Crayon in the box. Be an expert! Whether it is reading at home, listening to audio books in traffic, attending conferences or speaking with a mentor, learn the skills that make you a leader in your field.
So I would highly recommend this book for everyone that suffers from the same overwhelming to-do list issues I have had. Of course, this won't answer all of your questions for evaluating your time. We can't always "ignore" lower level tasks as he discusses in the book. However, if you want to make a big difference in the IMPACT of what you do each day, listen to Brian Tracy and just Eat That Frog.... figuratively speaking of course.