"Eat the Frog" is a time management method designed to help you overcome procrastination and tackle your most challenging tasks first. Brian Tracy developed this metaphorical approach in his book Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time.

What is "Eat the Frog"?

The “frog” represents your biggest, most important task—the one you are most likely to procrastinate on but which will have the greatest positive impact on your day or goals.

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Tracy’s Eat the Frog principle is simple: prioritize and complete your “frog” task first thing in the morning.

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If you have two frogs, meaning multiple high-priority tasks, always "eat the biggest and ugliest one first." This ensures that you overcome the most challenging tasks when your focus and energy are at their peak. Tackling the hardest task first also eliminates the looming dread of unfinished work.

How to Implement Eat the Frog in your Workflow

Brian Tracy outlines a practical approach to integrate this method into your workflow:

Step 1: Create your To-Do List

Start by listing all your tasks for the day. This provides a clear overview of what needs to be done.

Step 2: Categorize and Prioritize your Tasks

Label your tasks using the ABCDE method:

• A – “The Frog”: High-priority tasks with significant consequences if not done
• B – “The Tadpoles”: Important but less critical tasks
• C – “Comfort Tasks”: Tasks with minimal impact but still nice to complete
• D – “Delegate”: Tasks that someone else can handle
• E – “Eliminate”: Tasks that do not need to be done at all

Focus on A-tasks first and handle B-tasks next. Tasks labeled C, D, and E can wait or be reassigned.

Step 3: Eat the Frog