EAT THE FROG

“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.” - Mark Twain We have been meaning to write a mail on procrastination for over 3 weeks now but we kept procrastinating it. Then some of us came across and read this book, “Eat That Frog” by Brian Tracy. To put it mildly, it was life-changing. Procrastination is a menace to say the least and every single one of us tends to fall prey to it. This happens particularly when we have a task at hand which is uninteresting or rightout unpleasurable for us. It is this particular tendency that Mr. Tracy set out to tackle, and tackle he did. Here are 5 simple yet powerful steps from the book that may change your life too:

1. To-do To-do: The first step is to make a list of all the tasks that you need to accomplish in the day. A to-do list is known to help declutter the brain and free up mental space that would otherwise be taken up in remembering the tasks and stressing about forgetting them.   2. Narrow Down: Next, condense your to-do list by shortlisting 10 tasks. This way, the list becomes less threatening. You must try to finish these 10 tasks in the day. If you do finish them with quite a bit of time still left, feel free to add more tasks to the list.   3. Pick top 3 MITs: Once you have your list of 10 tasks, identify the top 3 Most Important Tasks (MITs) from it. These must be tasks that need to completed without fail, and completing them will make your day truly successful. Note the 3 MITs separately at the top of your to-do list.   4. Pick the Frog: From the 3 MITs that you just made a note of, choose the task that you dislike the most because it’s too boring, or difficult, or just plain distasteful. This task is your “frog” and must be eaten/completed first.   5. Delay the Easy: One final step is to also identify the easiest or your most enjoyable task in the to-do list. Now whatever happens, do not work on this task until your MITs are over. Basically, make it a reward for yourself for completing your 3 worst tasks without delay.