Eating the Frog: How to Do the “Eat the Frog” Technique

Most professionals start their mornings with a to-do list that feels endless, a mix of priorities, meetings, and small urgent tasks that compete for attention. The problem is simple: when everything looks equally important, we often delay the hardest, most valuable work.

That’s where the “eat the frog” technique comes in. Coined and popularized by author Brian Tracy, the idea is straightforward: do your most difficult or important task first thing in the morning, the one you’re most likely to avoid. Once you’ve “eaten your frog,” the rest of your day feels lighter, more productive, and easier to manage.

This method has become a staple among entrepreneurs, team leads, and remote professionals who struggle with procrastination and decision fatigue. In this guide, you’ll learn what “eat the frog” really means, why it works, how to apply it step-by-step, and which tools can help you build the habit sustainably.

TL;DR (Key Takeaways)

• “Eating the frog” means completing your most important and most challenging task at the start of your day when energy and willpower are highest.

• The technique works because it reduces decision fatigue, builds early momentum, and removes the mental weight of avoided tasks.

• The process is simple: identify your frog, schedule it first, break it into micro-steps, and protect your focus block from interruptions.

• Most people fail because they choose the wrong frog, schedule it too late, or allow distractions, all of which sabotage consistency.

What Does “Eat the Frog” Mean?

The phrase comes from an old saying, often attributed to Mark Twain:

“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, eat the biggest one first.”

Brian Tracy later transformed this metaphor into a productivity philosophy in his book Eat That Frog! The “frog” represents your most important and most challenging task, the one that makes the biggest difference to your goals but is easiest to postpone.

The meaning behind the metaphor

• “Eating the frog” means starting your day by finishing your most significant, uncomfortable, or high-impact task.

• It’s about doing the work that truly matters, not what feels urgent.

• Once it’s done, you experience a psychological release, motivation rises, stress decreases, and smaller tasks become easier to complete.

In short, the frog is the work you least want to do but most need to do.

Why the Technique Works

The “eat the frog” method aligns closely with behavioral science. Research on procrastination and self-control shows that willpower and decision-making capacity are highest in the morning and decline as the day progresses.

1. Reduces decision fatigue

By tackling your biggest task first, you eliminate hours of mental debate about where to start. This clarity reduces procrastination and creates early momentum.

2. Builds momentum through achievement

Completing a meaningful task early gives you a small but powerful sense of victory. That dopamine boost drives further action and sustains focus throughout the day.

3. Improves time management

When you “eat the frog,” you naturally prioritize what has the most impact, leaving less time wasted on low-value busywork. It aligns well with time-blocking, deep work, and ADHD-friendly structures.

4. Reduces stress and context switching

Finishing your hardest work first removes background anxiety; you no longer spend your afternoon dreading an unfinished task.

This simple shift in workflow doesn’t just make you productive; it also trains your brain to build resilience against avoidance behaviors.

Also read: Time Management Plan: 6 Strategies

How to Eat the Frog – Step-by-Step Guide

Applying the “eat the frog” technique doesn’t mean forcing yourself to do everything unpleasant.
It means identifying the one task that, if completed early, would make the rest of your day easier or more productive.

Here’s how to do it in four practical steps.

Step 1 – Identify your frog

Start by looking at your task list and asking one question:

“Which task, if I completed it today, would have the biggest positive impact?”

That’s your frog.

It might be writing a critical project proposal, preparing a presentation, or solving a high-priority technical issue. Often, it’s the task you’ve been avoiding, the one that feels uncomfortable but necessary.

Tip: If you have multiple frogs, choose the “ugliest” one, the most important and least appealing. Doing that task first creates momentum and clarity for the rest of your day.

Step 2 – Schedule the frog first

Once you’ve identified the task, block time for it at the very start of your workday, before checking emails or Slack messages.

This ensures your highest energy hours go toward your most meaningful work.

How to structure it:

• Create a “frog block” on your calendar (60–90 minutes).

• Turn off notifications or set your Slack status to “Do Not Disturb.”

• Keep your tools or documents ready before the block starts.

Time-blocking this way removes decision friction and protects your focus.

Related: Time Blocking Guide for Productivity

Step 3 – Use micro-steps to get started

If your frog feels too big, break it into micro-steps. Starting small tricks your brain into motion and lowers resistance.

For example:

• “Open the project file.”

• “Write the first three bullet points.”

• “Draft the intro paragraph.”

Once you start, momentum builds naturally. You can also use a timer (25–30 minutes) to stay focused, similar to a modified Pomodoro method.

Pro tip: If you struggle to start, try Akiflow’s task scheduling feature to visually assign your frog at the top of your day, keeping it front and center in your workflow.

Step 4 – Celebrate small wins

When you finish your frog, acknowledge it, take a short break, grab a coffee, or simply review what you achieved.
This small celebration releases dopamine, reinforcing the habit. Over time, your brain begins to associate completing hard tasks early with satisfaction and relief.

Then, shift to lighter work: messages, admin tasks, or meetings. You’ll approach them with higher energy and lower stress.

Common Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Even though the “eat the frog” method is simple, many people fail to apply it consistently.
Here are the most frequent mistakes, and how to correct them.

1. Choosing the wrong frog

The mistake: Picking something urgent but low-impact.
The fix: Ask, “Will this task still matter a week from now?” Choose the one that contributes most to long-term results.

2. Scheduling your frog too late

The mistake: Doing emails or meetings first, then trying to tackle your frog mid-day.
The fix: Block your frog task in the first 1–2 hours of your workday when energy and focus peak.

3. Allowing interruptions

The mistake: Keeping Slack, email, or notifications active.
The fix: Set your status to “In Focus Mode” or “Do Not Disturb.”
If you use Akiflow, enable time-blocked focus sessions so colleagues see you’re unavailable.

4. Expecting motivation to come first

The mistake: Waiting to feel ready.
The fix: Motivation follows action. Start with micro-steps, and your brain will follow once momentum builds.

5. Doing everything yourself

The mistake: Thinking you must “eat” every frog personally.
The fix: If a task isn’t high-value or aligned with your goals, delegate or automate it. The frog should always match your priorities, not your to-do quantity.

Related: Daily Planner with Time Slots

Tools That Support the “Eat the Frog” Technique

The “eat the frog” method works best when paired with tools that simplify scheduling, automate reminders, and help you visualize priorities.

The goal is to make the process effortless, not another system to maintain.

Here’s how to structure your setup with the right tools.

How Akiflow fits in

With Akiflow, you can drag and drop your “frog” task directly onto your calendar, set reminders, and protect that time block automatically.
It combines task capture, scheduling, and focus in one workspace, ideal for professionals who want to apply “eat the frog” without jumping between apps.

Related: Best AI Time Blocking Tools

Real-World Examples of “Eating the Frog”

1. The developer tackling bugs first

A senior developer at a SaaS company blocks her first 90 minutes each morning for the toughest coding tasks, major bug fixes, or architectural decisions. Once done, she feels clear-headed and ready for the rest of the day’s meetings.

Result: Fewer delays, better focus, and higher satisfaction by mid-morning.

2. The marketing lead prioritizing content strategy

Instead of diving into emails, a marketing lead spends her first hour creating campaign outlines and reviewing analytics. By 10 a.m., the most cognitively demanding task is complete.

Result: Team meetings and admin tasks feel lighter and more purposeful.

3. The freelancer avoiding overwhelm

A freelance designer identifies her daily “frog” the night before, a client project milestone. Each morning, she completes that first before accepting new requests or edits.

Result: Reduced stress, consistent progress, and improved client turnaround.

Conclusion

“Eating the frog” isn’t about discipline or punishment; it’s about designing your day around clarity and momentum.
By starting with the hardest, most valuable task, you build confidence and energy that carry through everything else.

Here’s how to make it stick:

1. Identify one frog daily, just one.

2. Block it visually on your calendar.

3. Protect that block like a meeting with yourself.

4. Celebrate completion, even if the day’s messy afterward.

Pairing this mindset with a structured productivity tool helps you stay consistent.

Try Akiflow to plan, block, and execute your “frog tasks” every morning, without juggling apps or losing focus.

Also read: Time Management Tools.

FAQs

1. What is the main purpose of the “eat the frog” technique?

The technique helps you overcome procrastination by completing your highest-impact task first. By doing the hardest work early, you boost motivation and reduce stress for the rest of the day.

2. Is “eating the frog” the same as time blocking?

Not exactly. Time blocking is a scheduling method, while “eating the frog” is a prioritization strategy. However, both work well together. You identify your biggest task using the frog method and then reserve time for it using a time block.

3. What if I have more than one frog?

Choose the most important and most uncomfortable task. If two tasks qualify, pick the one that will create the biggest long-term impact. You should only schedule one frog per day to avoid overwhelm.

4. How long should a frog task take?

Most frog tasks fit within a 60–90 minute deep work block. If your frog is larger, break it into smaller micro-tasks and complete the first piece at the start of the day.

5. Can tools help with the “eat the frog” technique?

Yes. Tools like Akiflow help you schedule frog blocks, reduce interruptions, and visually prioritize tasks. This makes it easier to stay consistent with the method every morning.