You've probably heard the advice to eat the frog, right? The idea is to pick the hardest thing on your list and do it first thing in the morning, so it's behind you for the rest of the day.
On paper, it makes sense. But for a lot of us, the morning isn't ours to control. Life shows up first, the frog gets pushed to tomorrow, and tomorrow does the same thing.
I fell right into this trap when I started writing my book. I write best in the morning, so I put writing time on my calendar first thing. Then came snow days, late starts, two mornings cleaning up after the dogs, and plain old morning chaos. After three or four weeks, I'd barely made any progress.
What finally helped was asking myself where in my week this could get real, focused time. Here's how to answer that for your own “frog:”
1. Name your frog.
Pick the one thing you keep meaning to make progress on but keep putting off. Be specific. For me, it was writing my book. For you, it might be a big project at work or the paperwork you've been avoiding at home.
2. Find one hour in the next seven days.
Open your calendar and look at the week ahead as it really is. Look for one hour you feel pretty confident won't get hijacked. Then make an appointment with yourself for that hour. A to-do list won't protect it, so give it a real spot on your calendar.
3. Decide what counts as progress.
One hour won't finish a big project, and that's okay. I don't sit down for an hour expecting to write a whole chapter. Progress might be refining one story for chapter three, even if I don't finish it. Pick something small enough to actually get done in the time you have.
4. Let the frog happen any time of day.
Mornings work for some people. Others do their best thinking in the evening, especially once little ones are in bed. I also learned I can't settle into writing until I've cleared my email and a few quick tasks, which takes me 45 minutes to an hour. So now my writing happens on Saturdays and Sundays, after my morning routine and a long walk with the dogs. It isn't every day and it isn't first thing, but the book is moving.
Watch it move
Once you've had one focused hour on your frog, pay attention to how it feels to see it finally budge after sitting still for so long. You might find yourself looking for the next hour before the week is even over.
Progress counts at any hour of the day. đź©·
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How do you organize a to-do list you're not getting done?
If your running list keeps growing and you never seem to make a dent in it, the format might be part of the problem. I'm sharing how I organize the list of everything that isn't happening this week, and why I don't even call it a to-do list. It comes down to a simple way of ordering things, plus one small detail that only some items get, and it makes sitting down to plan so much easier.
Remember, this video is updated every Wednesday, so don’t miss it! Head to The Pink Bee app to watch now.
Friend, don’t forget, just 15 minutes of planning today can set the tone for your entire week. You’ve got the tools, you’ve got the tips, and now it’s time to take action. Let’s crush this week together!
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