According to Mark Twain, “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” After reading Brian Tracy’s book Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, I have come to the conclusion that everyone’s life would be much easier if we got into the habit of “catching those live frogs and eating them” first thing in the morning. Are you ready to “eat those frogs” that you’ve been avoiding and stop procrastinating in your personal and professional life? Do you procrastinate on very important tasks that you don’t enjoy doing? Do you need to set priorities and concentrate on what needs to be done when it needs to be done? Are you ready to “eat those frogs”?
Which procrastination quotes will inspire you?
Find quotes which will help you “eat those frogs” and post them at locations where you will see them often such as your work desk, refrigerator, entrance to your home, car, computer, etc. In the words of Don Marquis, “Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.” Take action today!” No one is certain who the author was, but he must have understood procrastination when he said “The best way to get something done is to begin.”
What do you value and believe in?
It’s important to reflect upon, appreciate and acknowledge what is important to you in your life. Success? Happiness? Family? Spirituality? Community? Friends? In his book, Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, Tracy focuses on what he calls the “simple truth” which is the following: “The ability to concentrate single-mindedly on your most important task, to do it well and to finish it completely, is the key to great success, achievement, respect, status, and happiness in life.” He shares with the reader twenty-one principles which he has discovered over the years as the “most powerful principles on personal effectiveness”. As he states “the key to success is action” so make sure to keep going, don’t procrastinate and “eat those frogs”.
What are some of Brian Tracy’s twenty-one principles?
- Set the Table – Decide what you want to achieve in every area of your life.
- Plan Every Day in Advance – Break down your workload into step-by-step activities.
- Apply the 80/20 Rule to Everything – The 80/20 Rule, the Pareto Principle, means that in anything a few (20 percent) are vital and many (80 percent) are trivial.
- Consider the Consequences – Make sure and have a clear idea of what is important to you in the long term.
- Practice Creative Procrastination – Do the important things first and procrastinate on activities which are of a low value.
- Use the ABCDE Method Continually – Write a list on paper of everything that needs to be done and then place next to each item one of the following: “A” is very important; “B” is a should do; “C” is a nice to do; “D” is a delegate; and “E” is an eliminate.
What’s one final thought about Procrastination and “Eating Those Frogs?
Are you going to enjoy “catching that live frog and eating it”? Probably, no! Are you going to procrastinate on very important tasks at work and in your personal life? Probably, yes! Will you benefit, both professionally and personally, by learning to set priorities, overcome procrastination, and concentrate on the most important tasks in your life? Absolutely, yes! So, what are you waiting for? Ready, set, go and “eat those frogs!”
Written by: Janet Wasko Myers, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Ohio State University Extension, Madison County, myers.31@osu.edu
Reviewed by: Lisa Barlage, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Ross County.
Sources:
Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, Brian Tracy, Berrett-Koehler Publishers; 2nd edition (January 1, 2007).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W7GB5Fh2XM
Eat That Frog! By Brian Tracy YouTube
Time and Life Mastery – Putting First Things First, Developed by Kurt Utterback, Presented by Communicate Institute Training and Development in partnership with Walsh University, North Canton, Ohio, Graduate courses for teachers, WEB: www.communicateinstitute.com/ Analysis Paper and Book Review on: Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time.
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