If you’ve ever stared at your to-do list and felt utterly overwhelmed, you’re not alone. For many busy, ambitious women balancing work, family, and personal goals, productivity isn’t just about doing more—it’s about doing what matters. Enter: the Eat the Frog technique.

This simple but powerful method has helped thousands of people stop procrastinating, reduce stress, and create real momentum in their days. In this post, you’ll learn exactly what “eating the frog” means, why it works, and how to start using it in your planning routine today.

What Is the Eat the Frog Technique?

The Eat the Frog technique was popularized by author Brian Tracy in his book Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time. The phrase is based on a quote 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.”

Your “frog” is your most important, high-impact task that will create the most progress in your life or work. It’s also usually the task you’re most likely to avoid.

Eating the frog means tackling that task first thing in the day, before emails, social media, or other distractions can steal your time and energy.

Why the Eat the Frog Technique Works

The magic of this method lies in its simplicity. When you consistently start your day by focusing on what matters most, you:

1. Reduce Decision Fatigue: Trying to choose what to do from a mile-long to-do list is exhausting. By identifying your frog in advance, you remove the guesswork and preserve mental energy for the work that counts.
2. Build Momentum Early: Completing a difficult or high-priority task first thing gives you a quick win that boosts confidence and motivation for the rest of the day.
3. Avoid Procrastination Traps: When you delay challenging tasks, they drain your mental energy—even if you’re not actively working on them. Eating the frog clears that mental clutter.
4. Create Space for What Matters: Getting the important things done early frees up your afternoons and evenings for flexibility, self-care, or family time, without guilt.

How to Identify Your “Frog”

Not every task deserves frog status. The key is to find the one thing that will have the biggest positive impact today.

Ask yourself:

• What’s the one task that would make me feel accomplished if I finished it today?
• What’s something I’ve been avoiding that really needs to get done?
• What task moves me closer to my goals more than anything else?

Your frog might be a big work deliverable, a personal boundary conversation, or even finally dealing with financial paperwork. If it feels important and a little uncomfortable, it’s probably a frog.

How to Use Eat the Frog in Your Planning Routine

Here’s how to put this technique into action in your day-to-day life, especially if you use a paper planner or bullet journal:

1. Identify Your Frog During Weekly Planning: Look at your big-picture goals at the beginning of the week and pinpoint 1–3 frogs. These are your key priorities—write them clearly into your planner.
2. Schedule It First: Block time for your frog early in the day, ideally before other tasks creep in. Protect this time like a meeting with your most important client—because it is.
3. Focus on One Frog a Day: Don’t try to swallow the whole swamp. One major frog a day is plenty. If you have multiple, prioritize the “ugliest” one first—the one that’s been stressing you out the most.
4. Reward Yourself: Positive reinforcement matters. When you complete your frog, give yourself a moment to celebrate. A walk, a nice coffee, or a checkmark with flair can go a long way.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Making your frog too vague
  “Work on website” is unclear. “Write homepage copy draft” is actionable.
• Choosing a task that isn’t high-impact
  Cleaning out your inbox might feel good but isn’t usually a frog unless it directly unlocks something important.
• Not planning it in advance
  If you wait until morning to decide what your frog is, you’ll likely avoid it. Choose it the night before or during your weekly review.

Eat the Frog + Planning Power

At West Coast Dreaming, we believe planning should create clarity, not more stress. That’s why techniques like Eat the Frog pair beautifully with our planners and tools—they help you take intentional action without burning out.

If you’re feeling scattered or behind, try identifying your frog for tomorrow right now. Write it in your planner, block time for it, and protect that energy. This small shift can bring a big sense of control and momentum back into your life.

Final Thoughts

The Eat the Frog technique isn’t about hustling harder. It’s about working smarter by focusing on what matters most—before your time and energy are hijacked by distractions.

So go ahead: choose your frog, schedule it, and take that leap. Your future self will thank you.

Want to get a planning system that makes space for your frogs and your self-care?
Grab the planner spreads that changed my life below.