Why Eating Frogs for Breakfast Is the Best Way to Beat Procrastination

(No actual frogs were harmed in the making of this blog post.)

Source: Wix media

It's 4 a.m. and I'm staring at my ceiling, a little stressed. My brain, it seems, has decided to host a full-on frog party. Not the cute, green kind, but the metaphorical kind, the ones on my to-do list.

You know the ones. The big, ugly tasks you've been putting off. The ones that sit on your plate, staring at you, mocking you, and multiplying with every passing day.

A recent time management class was my wake-up call. The lecturer, a true guru of getting things done, asked us a simple question: "What are the most urgent tasks you need to tackle?"

It sounds easy, but it’s a game-changer. It’s not about just getting more done; it's about getting the right things done.

The First Rule of Frog-Eating

Our class learned the secret: eat your biggest, ugliest frog first.

This isn't about tackling every single thing at once. It's about prioritising and knocking out the one task that, once it's finished, makes everything else feel easier.

Think of it this way: when you've done the hardest part of your day's work, the rest of your to-do list feels like a breeze. You’re no longer wasting mental energy dreading the difficult task. Instead, you're riding a wave of accomplishment.

My Personal Frog-Eating Journey

For me, as a writer, that big, ugly frog is often a blank page. The pending deadlines, the research, the brainstorming—it's a lot. Before this class, I'd find myself with a massive pile of pending work and very little time to do it.

But now, I start my day by "eating a frog." I sit down at my computer, grab a cup of coffee, and tackle the most challenging writing task on my list. And guess what? It works.

The feeling of relief that comes from checking off that first big task is incredible. It’s a rush of motivation that carries me through the rest of my day, helping me eliminate one frog at a time.

My Go-To Frog-Hunting Tool

Time Management Matrix

To help with this, I now use a simple Time Management Matrix. I plan out my work, starting with the most urgent tasks. This approach has helped me beat deadlines without the crushing pressure and stress I used to feel.

It all comes down to a simple truth: "Things that matter a lot should not be at the mercy of things that matter the least."

So, what's the frog on your plate? What's the one thing you can do right now to make the rest of your day better?

Trust me, once you start, you'll see just how rewarding it is to get rid of those happy, mocking frogs for good.

''Things that matter a lot should not be at the mercy of things that matter the least ' Goethe