Eat the Frog: Conquer Your Biggest Tasks First

If you’ve ever had a big, daunting task hanging over your head, you know how tempting it is to procrastinate and tackle easier tasks first. But according to productivity expert Brian Tracy, that’s not the most effective approach. Instead, he recommends you “Eat the Frog” — that is, tackle your most difficult or important task first thing in the day.

The Philosophy Behind Eat the Frog

The idea behind “Eat the Frog” comes from the famous quote by Mark Twain: “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.” In Tracy’s book, Eat That Frog!, he explains that the “frog” represents your biggest, most important task — the one that you’re most likely to procrastinate on but also the one that will have the greatest positive impact on your work and life once completed.

By completing this high-priority task first, you set a productive tone for the rest of the day and eliminate the stress that comes from putting it off.

How Eat the Frog Works
The Eat the Frog method is incredibly simple, which is part of its appeal. It consists of just a few key steps:

1. Identify Your Frog: Start by figuring out what your most important task is. This should be something that, when completed, will move you closer to your long-term goals or have a significant impact on your day or project. It might be the most challenging or least appealing task on your list, but it’s the one that will make the biggest difference.

2. Tackle It First: Once you’ve identified your frog, make sure it’s the first task you complete in the morning, before getting bogged down by less important work, distractions, or multitasking. Prioritize this task and give it your full attention until it’s done.

3. Repeat Daily: Every day, repeat the process by identifying your new frog and knocking it out first thing. This daily practice builds momentum and sets a productive tone for the rest of your workday.

Why Eat the Frog Works

The power of Eat the Frog lies in its simplicity and focus on tackling difficult tasks early, before decision fatigue sets in. Research shows that people are more likely to procrastinate on difficult tasks, especially later in the day when their energy levels are lower. By starting your day with your most important task, you use your peak mental energy on what matters most, giving you a sense of accomplishment early on.

This method is also grounded in psychological principles of self-discipline and willpower. Studies suggest that our willpower depletes as the day goes on, which means we’re more likely to avoid difficult tasks in the afternoon. By dealing with your hardest task first, you overcome the mental resistance and reduce procrastination.

Eat the Frog vs. Other Productivity Methods

Compared to other productivity systems like Getting Things Done (GTD) or Time Blocking, Eat the Frog is refreshingly straightforward. GTD involves organizing tasks into complex systems, while Time Blocking requires scheduling specific times for different tasks. Eat the Frog focuses purely on action and prioritization — you choose the most important task, complete it first, and move on to the rest of your day with a sense of achievement.

While Eat the Frog can be paired with other systems (like GTD for task management or Time Blocking for scheduling), its simplicity makes it accessible to anyone, even if you don’t use other productivity techniques.

Tools for Implementing Eat the Frog

Eat the Frog doesn’t require any fancy tools or apps — it’s more of a mindset shift than a specific system. However, if you prefer to use tools to help you stay organized, a simple task management app like Todoist, Trello, or even a paper planner works well for identifying your frog each day.

You could also combine this method with Time Blocking by scheduling the first hour of your day to focus on your frog, or use a Pomodoro Timer to break down that big task into smaller, focused work intervals.

A Day Using Eat the Frog

Let’s say you’re working on a major project at work, and there’s one particularly challenging report you need to finish. You’ve been avoiding it for days because it feels overwhelming. Here’s how you would use Eat the Frog to tackle it:

1. Identify Your Frog: You decide that the report is your frog — it’s the most important task that will move your project forward.

2. Tackle It First: The next morning, before opening your email or working on easier tasks, you start working on the report. You give it your full attention, breaking it down into smaller steps if needed.

3. Feel Accomplished: After completing the report, you feel a weight lifted off your shoulders. With your biggest task done, the rest of your day feels easier and more manageable.

Conclusion

Eat the Frog is a simple yet powerful productivity method that encourages you to take action on your most important tasks first. By prioritizing difficult or high-impact tasks early in the day, you can overcome procrastination, boost productivity, and set a positive tone for the rest of your workday. Whether you’re looking for an easy way to start getting more done or you want to overcome procrastination, Eat the Frog is a method worth trying.

Sources:

1. Brian Tracy, Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2001.

2. Mark Twain, The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain, Dover Publications, 2013.

3. Psychology Today, Why We Procrastinate and How to Stop (https://www.psychologytoday.com)

4. American Psychological Association, The Science of Willpower and Why It Matters (https://www.apa.org)