I’ve put off writing this post several times, which is fitting since it is National Procrastination Week. I’m a lifelong, one might even say professional, procrastinator. I wait until the last minute to do most things. I have the very best of intentions, but can always find something better (or different) to do than the task at hand.
Why? Who knows? Anxiety, fear of failure, lack of focus and time management to name a few. There is also technology timesucks (Who hasn’t gotten lost in a Wikipedia or YouTube black hole?) and our ADD culture to blame.
A few years ago an esteemed colleague told me about a book that helped her tackle her procrastination and organize her tasks: Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time.
The title stems from an idea attributed to Mark Twain—if you eat a frog first thing in the morning, that is probably the worst thing you will do all day. So, the task you find least enjoyable (i.e. eating a frog) is the one you should undertake first. And if you’re going to be eating frogs, you might as well start with the biggest and ugliest. Thinking of tasks as frog-eating challenges has helped me prioritize and actually finish things I start—although it hasn’t done much for my appetite.
Other titles I hope to get to...one day:
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