"Eat the frog" is a productivity rule popularised by Brian Tracy's book Eat That Frog!, built on a saying often attributed to Mark Twain: if you have to eat a live frog, do it first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day. The frog is the task you are most likely to put off and that matters most.
Why it matters
Most people have their best focus early, and dreaded tasks only grow heavier the longer they sit. Doing it first uses your peak energy and removes the background dread for the rest of the day.
How to apply it
- Pick tomorrow's frog the evening before, so there is no decision to make.
- Start it before opening email or messages.
- If it is huge, make the frog just the first concrete step.
- Give it one protected focus block, then move on.