Eat the Frog
Eat the frog is a powerful productivity technique. It's based supposedly on a quote by Mark Twain saying:
"If you eat an ugly frog first thing in the morning, everything that comes after that is delicious."
While this might be just an apocryphal quote, it holds a deep truth for productivity. If you do your ugliest (i.e., most difficult) task first thing in the morning, everything after that is much easier. This is incredibly powerful if you are able to make it a habit. I have used it for large proposals (e.g., fellowships), difficult high-impact articles, and to work on all of my promotion cases. You can use it as well to stand out and achieve highly prestigious (and difficult) goals.
What are your ugly frogs?
Ugly frogs are those big, important projects that we always procrastinate on. They’re so difficult because they require a significant, consistent effort over months or even years. This can be overwhelming, so most people either don’t start or quickly give up when they encounter difficulties.
Ugly frogs can take many forms, depending on your career stage. They might be a large fellowship proposal, a challenging paper for a high-impact journal, or your tenure or promotion cases. They also can be the write-up of your thesis or starting a spin-out company.
One common feature of ugly frogs is that they’re so large and ambitious that you only know the end goal (the objective), but not the steps you need to take to achieve it. Sitting down consistently and trying to figure out how to approach these projects is crucial.
Another characteristic of ugly frogs is that they often involve tasks that you’ve never done before. This can make them feel intimidating, but these are the types of projects that challenge you and help you grow. If you face them consistently, they become more achievable. Remember writing your first paper? It was tough!
Finally, frogs are often projects that we would love to do, but it seems there is never enough time. In academia, we are too often driven by deadlines, which means important goals that don't have an immediate deadline often get shoved to the side, and we never do them. Eat your frog is your opportunity to get them done without the frenzy of the day-to-day academic work interfering.
Why should I eat my ugly frog?
If you are able to pull off eating your frog(s) consistently, you will be able to achieve amazing goals. If you look back at your biggest achievements, I can guarantee you that they are not the results of working really hard for a few days before a deadline. They are the results of consistent practice and a large amount of effort over a long period of time (months, maybe even years). Eventually, they come down to a deadline, but the bulk of the work was done before.
If you are able to work consistently on your frog, you will outperform 99% of your colleagues who avoid those difficult (and therefore often very prestigious) tasks. You will also more likely take on big projects, because you have experienced the power of eating the frog.
Finally, frogs are projects that you have decided to work on. It was your choice to make them a priority. This means, even if you fail every once in a while, you have more control over your work. This will make you much happier with your work.
When should I eat my ugly frog?
As suggested by the Mark Twain quote, you should eat the frog in the morning. However, even more crucially, you should do it before checking your emails. This part is important, especially if you are a more senior academic who receives hundreds of emails per day. There’s a high probability that something urgent (at least it will feel that way) needs your attention, and you start firefighting.
Very often, people fall into the trap of "I'll just get the emails out of the way". After 2 hours of emailing, you will be drained, very likely frustrated, and you will not have the energy nor the will to work on your difficult tasks. You will be too exhausted to think deeply.
In addition, in the morning with a fresh mind, it is much easier to make decisions. Complex projects or writing tasks need a lot of creative energy to overcome blocks and challenges.
Finally, if you can pull it off eating a frog first thing in the morning, you will gain a lot of momentum. You started your (working) day with a win. If you then open your email inbox and you have to fight fires, you will be able to do it much more relaxed. After all, you have already won the day. Whatever comes after the frog will not derail you.
How to approach it?
Your frogs are, by definition, huge and difficult tasks. It's not possible to finish them in one sitting. You need to break them down into feasible chunks. This can be hard because we're generally not good at estimating how much time tasks will take. For example, if you focus on finishing a figure or a section of a proposal, it can be frustrating if you don't complete the task that morning, which might demotivate you from consistently eating the frog.
A better approach is to use a productivity technique called the Pomodoro Technique, which suggests splitting your work into intervals, typically 25 minutes long, called "Pomodoros." This means your daily frog could involve working for one or more Pomodoros (25 minutes or more) on a big project. This method makes it feasible to make progress, regardless of the task's difficulty or if you're feeling stuck.
I have written up a blog post about the Pomodoro Technique, where I discuss the ins and outs of this productivity approach.
Consistency is key
If you work consistently, i.e., every day one or two Pomodoros, on your frog, you will see the impact.
The important part is consistency!
Work on your frog even if you don't feel like it. Actually, it's particularly important to work on it when you don't want to. This makes the difference as you are building up a habit.
Of course, life is not linear, and we are not always in control of every single day. There will be days where you can't do it. For example, you might have to teach the full morning or you might be at a conference. It's OK to lose the streak; however, make sure that your energy levels are not dictating this decision. The more consistent you are (make it a habit!), the more successful you'll be.
Large and difficult projects often have multiple points where you get stuck, and you need to stay with them to break through to the other side. Most people give up at this point. Use your habit of eating your frog to work through these difficult parts.
As a final note, while consistency is important, taking breaks is important as well. Eating the frog work is more like a marathon than a sprint. Pace yourself and take regular breaks.
Conclusion
If you are able to pull off eating the frog more or less consistently, this will give you a huge advantage. You will not only outperform 99% of other academics, you will also be happier and prouder about your work. Most people start too late for big proposals, and most people give up when they are stuck. This is a very frustrating place to be in. The habit of eating the frog allows you to push through that with ease.
The first time you have finished a project with this technique, you will see how magical that feels and you will get addicted to eating more frogs.
Let me know about your frogs! What will you tackle next?
Work Smart and be Remarkable!
Have a great day,
- Helmut
