How ‘Eat That Frog’ Method Can Help in Project Management

Many people prefer to work by the principle of “from simple to complex.” There is a certain logic in this approach, but it doesn’t always lead to the expected results. It’s one thing if you want to take a break, catch your breath, and gather strength for a decisive battle. It’s another when procrastination becomes a systematic habit. This may indicate that your project lacks a proper motivation system or that tasks are being fragmented and delegated ineffectively.

There is even a special productivity method called “Eat That Frog,” which will be discussed below.

What Does “Eat That Frog” Mean, and What Does Eating Frogs Have to Do With It?

The name of the method directly relates to a thought once expressed by Mark Twain:
“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”

There’s another quote:
“If your job is to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if your job is to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the bigger one first.”

This idea was popularized by Canadian author and renowned business coach Brian Tracy in one of the most impactful books on productivity, Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time.

The “Eat That Frog” method is a productivity strategy based on the principle of tackling the most challenging tasks first.

These tasks are often postponed because we don’t always know how to approach them in a way that ensures both effectiveness and a smoother process. This is precisely how procrastination begins: employees find other activities to occupy themselves with, for example, play at https://20bet.asia/ or just chat, and simply to delay “diving deep” into a complex task.

However, if you do the exact opposite — taking the plunge and prioritizing the most challenging and demanding tasks — your productivity increases. Major victories generate greater positive emotions and motivation.

Why the “Eat That Frog” Approach Actually Works

The focus on mornings is no coincidence. It’s not just about being a morning person. A person’s activity level is too subjective a concept for this to be the sole reason.

The point is this: when you start with the main task, you:

1. Quickly assess the scope. Almost always, initial task estimates have inaccuracies. Until work enters the active phase, it’s impossible to confirm or refute the accuracy of these estimates. The longer the state of uncertainty persists, the higher the likelihood of missed deadlines, budget overruns, and other issues. For the same reason, starting with a minimally viable model is often recommended.
2. Use your work time more efficiently. You’ll potentially have time left for polishing other tasks, testing, and so on. But if you proceed from simple to complex, you might find that there’s literally no time left for the main task — or not enough time. In such cases, you either face overtime or the unpleasant feeling of unfinished work (which tends to accumulate). Then everything has to start over the next day. And what if the task is handed off to a colleague? They may have many questions, distract you from your downtime, ask for a deep dive into the details, etc. Sound familiar?
3. Have maximum time to work through all stages of “getting in the zone.” This process often mirrors the stages of coping with an inevitable problem: denial, anger, bargaining, and so on.
4. Communicate more effectively with others. Clients, customers, partners, suppliers, and others are typically at their workplaces in the morning. This means work-related issues can be resolved more quickly — here and now.

To “eat the frog,” you need preparation, focus, and the right mindset. Without these, you’re likely to give up and put the “frog” on the back burner.

Ironically, “frog-tasks” are often important but not urgent. By postponing them, you’re engaging in self-deception. It’s far easier to close “reactive” tasks, those that are quick and simple. But among these, there’s rarely one that could truly be called significant.

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What Other Principles the Original Method Includes?

In reality, Brian Tracy blended many principles and rules in his book to boost productivity. These include:

• If you have two frogs, start with the ugliest one.
• If you’ve decided to eat a frog, don’t just sit and stare at it. (Act, don’t delay.)
• Work is a habit. It needs to be developed and cultivated. There’s no shortcut here (insight and understanding come over time).
• The “ugliness” of the frog has its reasons. You need to identify and understand them. This will make the “eating” process easier.
• Even an elephant can be eaten piece by piece. The same applies to frogs (task decomposition).
• Use the Pareto Principle to prioritize and find your frogs. In other words, focus your efforts on tasks that yield the greatest results.
• Postpone low-value tasks. Delay tasks that consume a lot of time but deliver minimal results.
• Block time for critical tasks. This requires planning your day, week, and month in advance.

A Practical Example of Reducing Work Overload

• Create a list of all your responsibilities.
• Highlight the three most important tasks on the list — those that are non-negotiable.
• Accomplishing these tasks is your primary value as a specialist. Focus on them.
• Most likely, the remaining responsibilities can either be ignored or delegated.

How to Identify “Frogs” to Start With

Selection criteria might look like this:

• The most difficult tasks, the ones you’re tempted to postpone, are usually important but not urgent. This is the first and most dangerous logical trap.
• The biggest and ugliest frogs can be identified using the Pareto Principle. They fall into the 20% of tasks that deliver 80% of the results.
• Technically, “frog tasks” consume the most time and effort (unless broken into smaller parts).
• Frogs resist being tackled. This resistance often creates fear of them. No matter how you approach the task, problems and obstacles always seem to emerge, creating a sense of pressure. This is a key characteristic of a “frog task.”

Conclusion

In reality, no actual frogs need to be eaten. So make sure no live frogs are harmed!

The essence of this approach lies in how you treat tasks: you shouldn’t delay the most challenging and demanding ones. It’s an entire strategy that consistently yields positive results.

Much depends on goal-setting and internal motivation. That’s why it’s crucial to continuously work on yourself and your work ethic. You should neither underestimate yourself nor overestimate your abilities. Understanding your strengths and weaknesses allows you to achieve better results and keep growing.