If you’ve worked with me, you’ll know I’m a fan of this saying ‘Eat the frog’. One of my very first managers (a true inspiration btw), introduced it to me about a hundred years a go....
So what does it mean? The frog is the thing that you’re currently putting off. It’s the thing at the back of your mind that keeps hounding you. The thing you know you need to do but are avoiding because it’s difficult / overwhelming / not very nice / uncomfortable. It probably leads to procrastination and negative self-talk because you know it will be better when it’s done.
Why is it called a ‘frog’? As Mark Twain said: “If your job is 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.”
Eat your frogs first, so you can enjoy the rest of your day. The sooner you eat your frog, the sooner you can do the things that you actually WANT to be doing.
Tackling your frogs: > Create a list of things to do > Prioritise everything (be honest and realistic) > Highlight which of these are your frogs > Schedule your things to do for the rest of the week as well as your frogs first thing > If your frogs are too big to digest, break them down into smaller tasks (they’ll be easier to swallow) > At the end of the day, reflect on your achievements and re-jig tasks for the following day if needed. > Reflect on how it feels to have tackled your frog first!
Now go get those frogs!
Gemma Brown is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coach Federation, working with individuals and groups to navigate successfully through transitions - be it career, relationships or life in general. Her belief is that when we confidently bring our whole selves to all areas of life, anything is possible. Transitions exist in both our personal and business life, and so often, the two fiercely overlap. Coaching with Gemma focuses on you as a whole, enabling you to identify your strengths, build confidence and to live a life with increased purpose and direction. Gemma works face to face with clients in the Cambridge area as well as via Zoom. For more about Gemma, visit her 'About' page or contact her directly.
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