At the end of the week, do you look at your desk and wonder what you accomplished? Does your ‘To-Do’ list seem to be growing, instead of shrinking?

One of the most effective methods we’ve discovered to manage the tasks that pile up from day to day, and have helped to guide us as we have grown our firm came from Brian Tracy’s book, Eat That Frog! (Not a reader? You can listen to the audiobook like we did.)

“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, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” – Mark Twain

According to Tracy, you should think of your ‘To-Do’ list as a pile of frogs.  When you tackle the biggest frog first, it’s easier to tackle the rest.  This doesn’t come easy – especially if you’re prone to procrastination.

“I don’t procrastinate! I just get my very best ideas at the last minute!” – Every Procrastinator

The first part of the book helps you get organized: you’ll make to-do lists, develop a timeline for the next day, week, month and year, as well as prioritize both your goals, and the actions necessary to achieve them.  The next section deals with learning the skills you need to be successful,  as well as teaches you the ABCDE method of organizing.  By rating the tasks on your list, you can easily discover which ones you must do, which can be delegated to someone else and which ones are just taking up your time needlessly.

One of the biggest lessons of the book? Once you start a task, don’t stop until you’ve finished.  No one wants to see a half-eaten frog on their plate.  Start with the largest, ugliest frog on your plate and don’t stop until it’s gone.  With that out of the way, you can concentrate on the next item.  Before you know it, you’ll have worked through your entire day’s worth of tasks.

It sounds easy, doesn’t it? We know – easier said than done.  It can seem difficult to implement.  But the results are worth the struggle.  You’ll find that you’re not just shuffling papers all day, you’re accomplishing your goals.

With his 21 tips to overcome procrastination, Tracy offers more than a simple motivational speech.  He gives the reader actionable steps that anyone can implement.  If you find yourself stuck in an endless cycle of not getting things done, you owe it to yourself to give it a read.   

What methods do you use to avoid procrastination and stay organized?