eat the frog

Eat the Frog

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Gross metaphor aside, Mark Twain had a point. If you have to do something difficult or unpleasant, it’s best to get it over with as soon as possible. Otherwise, we spend too much time procrastinating and avoiding it, which inevitably makes the thing you have to do even worse. If we “eat the frog” right away, we don’t have time to ruminate on how bad the thing we have to do is. Plus, the thing we have to do is rarely as bad as we think it will be. 

Let’s say you have to call your doctor to schedule an annual checkup, but you hate making phone calls. You could procrastinate, carrying this simple task over from one day to the next, forcing you to think about this unpleasant task for days, or possibly weeks, on end. Then, when you’ve procrastinated as long as possible and you finally feel enough motivation to make the call, it ends up being a relatively quick and painless process. However, the stress and frustration you’ve been feeling since you added this task to your to-do list is no less real. You’ve increased your mental distress exponentially without actually doing anything. Had you “eaten the frog” right away, the only distress you would have felt would have been from the phone call itself. 

So, do yourself a favor. Make that phone call, send that email, schedule that appointment. EAT THE FROG!

Time Blocking

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On the heels of last week’s post about procrastination, let’s start talking about strategies for overcoming it. One of these strategies, which certainly falls under the topic of time management, as well, is “time blocking.” This strategy involves writing down 30-minute or 1-hour “blocks” during your day in which you commit to completing a certain task. Time blocking helps to eliminate the choice we give ourselves regarding when, or even if, a task gets done. For example, if I don’t workout within the first 2-3 hours of the morning, the chances of it actually happening become significantly less with each passing hour. I give myself too much time to lose energy and motivation and come up with excuses why I don’t feel up for it. The same thing happens when we procrastinate on any other task we find challenging.

So how do I “time block?”

Use your planner or calendar, which is made much easier and more visually organized if time slots are provided; or, you can just use lined paper. (See my example below.) If you finish a task early, feel free to use the rest of the block to relax, get a snack, or play with your pets. BUT … set an alarm for the start of your next block in case you get distracted.

Mark Twain said: “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.” So, what’s the most challenging thing you have to do tomorrow? Schedule it first thing in the morning, before you have time to come up with excuses why it can wait. Eat your frog first, and the rest of your tasks will seem easier in comparison.