I really tried eating the frog as soon as I got up.
I just couldn’t do it.
I read all the books that told me that frog was best served early in the morning. They told me to be successful, I had to get up at ungodly hours like 4:00 or 5:00 am, and eat the frog!
What frog am I speaking of?
According to Eat That Frog author Brian Tracy, the frog is your most pressing, and complex task of the day. He borrowed the concept from Mark Twain that if you have to get a difficult task done, it’s best to get it done at the start of your day.
I tried. I really did. But I was never successful at it. For years I tried to fit myself into that box. And when I did manage to open my eyes before 6:00 a.m., the frog was never close to my mind. I just fumbled around bumping into stuff. And every time I tried and couldn’t, I felt like a failure. For years I beat myself up about it.
Not anymore!
I was doing some research and came across some new info that has me spinning! There’s new evidence that it’s not about how early you start, but more about your personal energy levels. I never felt productive in the morning. I’ve been a night owl ALL of my life.
That’s when my energy peaks. That’s when I get ‘ish done. We can eat the frog whenever we like!
And I’m excited to be free from that mess. I NOW EAT MY FROGS FOR DINNER!
You too can have your frogs for lunch, dinner, or late-night snacks. As a business owner, you have to know when and where you are most productive. If you are not sure when you are most productive it is pretty easy to nail down.
I would suggest that you track your energy levels for three days. Some experts suggest cutting out all stimulants like caffeine. I don’t suggest that if these things are part of your daily routine. Set your alarm to sound each hour. Rate your energy level on a scale of one to five each time the alarm sounds over the three days. By the third day, you should see a pattern emerge. This will help you identify when you are most productive.
You should do your most challenging and ambitious tasks during your high-energy hours. Not sure of your energy levels, grab the energy tracker here. But, if you find yourself unable to swallow a particular frog at any time of the day, that might be a sign that it’s time to delegate that task.
That’s where I fit in. My job is to help busy bosses reclaim their time while maintaining balance. When I say bosses, I mean women who are goal-driven and ambitious. Also, women who simply want more out of life but are having a hard time finding the time they need to get things done. In the Bossy & Balanced community, this is what we do. We help you add a little balance to your bossy lifestyle. Check it out.
And don’t forget, grab the energy tracker to figure out your energy cycle and eat your frogs on your terms.
Signed,
Carla, The Productivity Chic
Carla Erskin is the founder of Bossingly® Productivity Solutions. Bossingly® provides products and services designed to help goal-driven women reclaim their time while creating work-life balance. The goal at Bossingly® is to provide productivity tools and strategies to help you add a little balance to your bossy lifestyle.