What It Means
Eat the frog is a rule for starting the day: pick your biggest, most important task, usually the one you're most likely to put off, and do it first. The phrase comes from Brian Tracy's book Eat That Frog!, where the frog stands for that task. When two important tasks are waiting, Tracy says to start with the bigger and harder of the two.
Try It: Find Tomorrow's Frog
Rate two tasks on your list for tomorrow. The one that matters more is the frog; if they tie, as in this example, the one you'd rather put off wins.
Task A is your frog. Start it first thing tomorrow.
Task B is your frog. Start it first thing tomorrow.
They're even. Pick either one now and do it first.
Neither task matters much. Check your list for something bigger before you settle on a frog.
How People Say It
- "Let me eat the frog first, then I'll look at email."
- "The expense report is my frog today."
- "I ate the frog before nine and the rest of the day was easy."
The Breakdown
How to do it
- Look at what's on your list for tomorrow.
- Find the task that matters most and that you'd most like to avoid. That's the frog.
- If two tasks are equally important, take the bigger, harder one, as Tracy advises.
- Write the frog down where you'll see it first in the morning.
- Start on it before email, messages or quick jobs, and move on once it's done.
Short version for today. Before you close your laptop tonight, write tomorrow's frog on a sticky note and leave it on the keyboard.
Frog or not?
| Task | Frog? |
|---|---|
| A proposal your boss needs by Friday that you keep avoiding | Yes: important and dreaded |
| Sorting your desk drawer | No: easy to put off, but it doesn't matter much |
| Calling the insurance company about a denied claim | Likely: it matters, and nobody enjoys it |
Where It Comes From
Brian Tracy built a time management method around the image in his book Eat That Frog!, published by Berrett-Koehler and now in a fourth edition. The title borrows an old saying about eating a live frog first thing in the morning, so the worst thing you'll face all day is already behind you.
Good to Know
Pick by importance first. Tracy describes the frog as your biggest, most important task, so a hard chore that doesn't move anything forward can wait its turn. His goal is a lifelong habit of tackling that one task first each morning. Choosing it the night before means the morning starts with the decision already made.
FAQ
What does eat the frog mean?
It means doing your biggest, most important task first thing in the morning, usually the one you'd most like to avoid. The phrase comes from Brian Tracy's book Eat That Frog!.
How do I pick my frog?
Go by importance first. Tracy describes the frog as your biggest, most important task, and that's often the one you'd most like to put off.
What if I have two frogs?
Tracy's advice is to eat the bigger, harder one first. If they truly tie, pick either one and start.
Do It in Buhata
Tasks and Reminders
Add tomorrow's frog to Buhata Tasks tonight and set a Reminder for the start of your workday.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Procrastination
Putting off a task you intended to do, even though you expect the delay to leave you worse off, often to escape how the task makes you feel.
- Eisenhower matrix
A four-box grid that sorts tasks by two questions, whether each is urgent and whether it's important, to decide what to do now and what to plan.
Sources
Brian Tracy, "Eat That Frog & Start Accomplishing Your Goals" (briantracy.com); Berrett-Koehler Publishers, "Eat That Frog!, Fourth Edition"
- www.briantracy.com/blog/time-management/the-truth-about-frogs
- bkconnection.com/products/9798890570925_eat-that-frog-fourth-edition
Last updated .