Eat your greens first.
Who could resist a book on the bookstore shelf titled Eat That Frog! ? Not me, especially since instead of cooking, it’s about improving my life.
“It’s all about tackling the most important thing first, not the easiest,” says ClutterControlFreak.com.
Author Brian Tracy offers 21 ways to stop procrastinating and accomplish more in less time.
He suggests planning each day in advance. Tracy also recommends following the 80/20 Rule that says there are typically two items on a list of 10 that will account for 80 percent of the day’s results. Tackle those two first.
In his words, eat that frog.
If you’re like me, frog eating requires practice. I tell myself all sorts of things that aren’t true.
Here are a few.
My office overlooks our front yard. I tell myself, “I’d think more clearly if the lawn was mowed.”
So I mow.
“If my office was organized, it’d be easier to find writing resources.”
So I organize.
“When this house is clean, I’ll feel more like tackling writing assignments.”
So I clean.
No one would call me lazy if they saw my list, or if they spent a day keeping up with my routine around the house, except maybe Eugene Peterson.
“Busyness is the enemy of spirituality. It is essentially laziness. It is doing the easy thing instead of the hard thing. It is filling our time with our own actions instead of paying attention to God,” said Peterson.
He’s right. I’m doing the lazy list when I’m mowing, organizing and cleaning. I’m refusing to eat that frog, which might be writing an article due next week or a blog post I promised myself I’d finish.
The fact is, and I believe this is true for every single one of us, I know what I’m supposed to do each day. Ninety-five percent of the time I wake up with “that thing” in my head. About half my days, I do everything but that thing. When I do finally start it, I’m tired and discouraged.
Why not follow Tracy’s spiritual solution instead?
When I eat that frog – do the most challenging task first, the one thing I’m most likely to procrastinate over, but also the one thing I know will make me feel the best when it’s finished – the rest of my day is full of energy and enthusiasm.
Do you hop out of bed, ready to eat that frog? Or do you procrastinate?
WRite wHere I’m supposed to be – Dear God, when we’re tempted by laziness and procrastination, remind us of the good feeling that comes from eating our greens.
On the side: Here’s the link (both go to the same site) to Brian Tracy’s Blog, or what I like to call it, Eat That Frog Blog.
Also on the side: How do you eat an elephant? Same as a frog, one bite at a time. Read all about it at The Elephant’s Goin’ Down! by Karen Ball of The Steve Laube Agency.
Click here to read my post written on Leap Day, Eat That Frog, part 2.
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Kim, what a great post! But I have to admit I don\’t know whether to be offended or motivated. This is so me! Thanks for the inspiration.
Yeah, I wasn\’t sure if I even wanted to write this. But lately I\’ve had a lot of frog experiences…the good, the bad and the ugly. I figured I had to share them with someone.
The frog eating makes me cringe but it\’s absolutely true – especially the quote about busyness. This post will be a wonderful goad in my side but I wish it didn\’t bring frog eating to mind. 🙂
I know what you mean! Actually the photo kind of makes me feel like I\’m gagging when I look at it. But I can do the same with my work sometimes, especially when I\’m procrastinating. And it makes no sense because I feel so good once I get started. Gagging over the picture, I understand. : )
We are related. 🙂
I knew it!
Oh my. Guilty! Thanks for letting me know I\’m not alone.
You’re never alone, Kristi, especially when it comes to procrastinating, distracting, and piddling. Just let me know what similar thing it is you’re doing. I’m sure I have some experience. : )