Last Friday it was my girls’ room. I’d been tripping over things in there for weeks and was sick. of. it. Over the weekend it was the seasonal clothing swap. Yesterday it was the bathroom, including the floor that has fallen victim to my four-year-old’s haphazard aim.
I first heard of the ideas in this book during my stint in direct sales. Direct sales, homemaking, it’s all the same. We all have dreaded tasks that must be done.
Your Most Dreaded Task = Your Frog
I have a tendency to focus on the everyday chores and ignore all the croaking. Dishes, check. Laundry, on it. Living room, clear. Email, no sweat. That’s all fine and well and good, except for the frogs that drown out any peace of mind at the end of the day.
My strategy for productivity is to pick a frog and eat it first thing in the morning. Take one big, dreaded task and get it over with. Relish in the accomplishment, and then tackle the little things. It works for me.
Have you eaten your frog today?
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
That’s a great tip!! I just had to come over and see why you were telling people to eat a frog! LOL!! I’ll eat mine tomorrow morning!
I have been eating my frogs first thing Monday Mornings this month! I am amazed at how much I feel that I have accomplished in such short periods of time. I look around and think why did I wait so long…the back porch, the window on the stair landing filled with dust, and dead wasps, my closet which looked like it had collapsed, I am ready for next Monday so I can eat another frog! I never know what is on my platter until I wake up nor did I know that I was eating frogs–Thanks for the encouragement.
Very nice analogy. I am ignoring a frog right now, but I’m thinking his croaking can wait until tomorrow, right?
Great tip…and great book! Short but motivating. I’ve been letting my frogs pile up lately…I need to remember this advice and get back to it!
I have a HUGE frog I plan to eat on Friday! Been procrastinating. However, I have 2 days off after today and that frog is gonna get done! Come hail or high water and it’s raining buckets here this morning so that IS a possibility. LOL
I think I’ve encountered a frog plague of Biblical proportions in my home! I’m on it–eating these frogs and getting them out of my way!
I tackled one of these things yesterday – signing my daughter up for SAT/ACT tests. I don’t know why I was putting it off. So many frogs…
I love it! This is a tip that should work really well for me since I’m at my peak energy first thing in the morning… so that’s when I need to get it done. Thanks!
Great advice!! There are several frogs that I really need to get eating. I like this approach…tackle it first thing in the morning.
I’ve been trying lately to do better with this. I have so many Big chores, they usually get pushed aside.
Thanks for the inspiration!
~Liz
I love this! I am going to Eat The Frog! and clean out the storage shed. No more excuses..
That is great advice!!
The frogs are overtaking me!!!! Guess it has to do with moving and unpacking and setting up the homeschool room as well as the rest of the house and living the daily life. But I love your analogy and am constantly thinking of which frog to eat next. Did get some eaten this morning and I feel so much better. Thanks.
So simple and so true! I always feel better when I get the worst thing of the day overwith before the rest. Makes everything else seem not so bad.
I’m fairly new to your site, but I really needed to read this post. I tackled my frogs yesterday and today by cleaning the bathroom (yuck!) and cleaning out the fridge. Thanks for the motivation! My husband and kids appreciate it.
Love your blog! I too have three little ones, though I live in a big town in Kansas.
I recently picked up this book and it has been very motivating at home!
You had me confused for a minute with this post. But then I got it the second time I read it. LoL
Great post.