This week I finished “Eat That Frog” by Brian Tracy.
Like many others, I occasionally struggle to be as efficient as I’d like; often looking to complete as many tasks as possible while avoiding the task (or two) that seems the most challenging. In his book, Tracy covers 21 methods to “stop procrastinating and get more done in less time”.
- Define your goals and write them down – Lack of clarity is the number one cause of procrastination. I like to define my goals using the SMART method (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound).
- Create plans for what you’ll work on next – The first step to planning is having a list. “Every minute you spend on planning can save five to ten minutes in execution”
- Focus on your 20% tasks – Using the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule, which says you tend to get 80% of results from 20% of your work. Focus your attention on the top 20% of tasks for the most impact. ?
- Think long-term to make better short-term decisions – Don’t assume you must complete everything on your to-do list. Some tasks may not need to be done or can be delegated to others. Question the long-term consequences to determine if it’s a short-term need.
- Procrastinate on purpose – Wait. Procrastinate on purpose? No one can do EVERYTHING. “The difference between high performers and low performers is largely determined by what they choose to procrastinate on”
- Use the ABCDE method – Prioritize your list. D tasks should be delegated and E tasks should be eliminated.
- Understand exactly what work you’re accountable for – What were you hired to do and what tasks are critical to your success in that role? By understanding what you are accountable for, you can delegate and say “no” to activities that won’t help you reach your goals.
- When it’s time to work, work – Tracy suggests identifying the three things that you do which account for 90% of your contributions to the company’s success. By staying head-down on those three things, you can add value and have more time for personal and family needs.
- Prepare for your work before you start it – Have everything you need before you jump in. I’m guilty of missing this step! So often, I’m in a hurry to jump in and then spend a significant amount of time answering open questions and looking for the inputs I need.
- Focus on one task at a time – multitasking is not the beneficial skill set we all thought it was! “Multitasking makes it more likely that you’ll struggle to complete your tasks, but perhaps more importantly, it’s also bad for your mental health". Instead, practice mindfulness as a way to train yourself to stay focused and fully immersed in the tasks you are working on.
- Develop your skills – Many people procrastinate because they do not feel confident in their skills. By building upon your skillsets, you can be equipped to handle the challenges in front of you.
- Use your strengths – What are you good at? What could you be great at? Find those skills and focus on doing them VERY well.
- Identify the things that are holding you back – This one was so important to me. Find the thing(s) that is keeping you from reaching your goals and then focus on eliminating it.
- Find your motivation – Set deadlines and strive to beat them and make the most of your energy levels. If you’re more productive in the morning, use that to your advantage.
- Become an optimist – Your mood has a direct impact on your energy levels and productivity. Be your own cheerleader.
- Don’t let technology distract you – this one is hard! If you are spending your day bouncing between emails, Teams messages, texts, and calls, you cannot effectively focus on your priorities. Consider going offline, muting text messages, and avoiding calls.
- Break your tasks down to their smallest possible components – Stay Agile by focusing on the smallest value-adding component (MVP) and proceeding from there. The smaller the task, the easier it is to complete and move on to the next. Being able to complete steps toward your goal gives you motivation and incentive to keep going.
- Schedule time on your calendar to eat your frogs – I’ve been practicing this for roughly a year now and always appreciate having a block (or two) set aside to tackle the day's tasks.
- Find your flow – Flow is that sweet spot everyone hopes to achieve. Where you are so focused on a task that you barely notice the passing of time. Tracy says you can increase your flow potential by creating a sense of urgency and building momentum.
- Work on a task until it’s complete – When you repeatedly stop and start a task, it can increase the time spent on that task by up to 500%!!!
?Which of the 21 methods above do you find most interesting and/or useful?
