Eat That Frog! for Students

1. Prioritize Your Most Important Tasks

Your "frog" is your biggest, most important task, the one you are most likely to procrastinate on if you don't do something about it.

Identify your frogs. Every day, you face a multitude of tasks and responsibilities. The key to success is identifying your most crucial, high-impact tasks - your "frogs" - and tackling them first. These are often the tasks you're most likely to procrastinate on, but they're also the ones that can make the biggest difference in your academic and personal life.

Eat that frog! Once you've identified your most important task, commit to completing it before moving on to less critical activities. This approach ensures that you're always making progress on your most significant goals, even if you accomplish nothing else that day. By consistently prioritizing and completing your most challenging tasks first, you'll build momentum, boost your confidence, and dramatically increase your overall productivity.

2. Take Full Responsibility for Your Success

Taking responsibility is one of the best things about growing up.

Embrace personal responsibility. As you progress through your academic career, you'll face a critical turning point: the shift from having others make decisions for you to taking full control of your life. This transition can be daunting, but it's also incredibly empowering. By accepting complete responsibility for your actions, choices, and outcomes, you gain the power to shape your future.

Focus on what you can control. While you can't control everything in your environment, you always have control over your reactions and responses. Instead of blaming external factors or making excuses, concentrate on what you can do to improve your situation. This mindset shift allows you to:

• Actively seek solutions to challenges
• Learn from mistakes and setbacks
• Continuously improve your skills and knowledge
• Develop resilience and adaptability

By taking ownership of your education and personal growth, you'll be better equipped to overcome obstacles and achieve your goals.

3. Set Clear, Written Goals

Nothing will propel you toward success faster than the practice of having clear, written goals.

Write down your goals. The simple act of putting your goals on paper dramatically increases your chances of achieving them. Use the "Three P Formula" when writing your goals:

• Present tense: Write as if you've already accomplished the goal
• Positive: Focus on what you want to achieve, not what you want to avoid
• Personal: Use "I" statements to make the goal your own

Make your goals specific and time-bound. Instead of vague aspirations, set concrete objectives with clear deadlines. For example, "I have an A in Chemistry by June 15th" is more powerful than "I want to do better in Chemistry."

Review and revise regularly. Keep your goals visible and review them daily. As you progress, update and adjust your goals to reflect your changing priorities and circumstances. This constant engagement with your goals helps maintain focus and motivation, propelling you toward success.

4. Plan Your Day in Advance

Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.

Create daily to-do lists. Take 10-12 minutes each evening to plan your next day. This small investment of time can save you up to two hours of wasted effort the following day. Write down all your tasks and prioritize them based on importance and urgency.

Use different lists for different purposes:

• Master list: Capture all long-term goals and ideas
• Monthly list: Plan major tasks and deadlines for the coming month
• Weekly list: Break down monthly goals into weekly action items
• Daily list: Identify specific tasks to complete each day

By planning in advance, you'll start each day with clarity and purpose, knowing exactly what needs to be accomplished. This proactive approach reduces stress, increases focus, and helps you make consistent progress toward your goals.

5. Apply the 80/20 Rule to Everything

20 percent of your activities will account for 80 percent of your results.

Identify your high-impact activities. The Pareto Principle, or 80/20 Rule, suggests that a small portion of your efforts will produce the majority of your results. In your academic life, this might mean:

• 20% of your study time yields 80% of your learning
• 20% of your assignments account for 80% of your grade
• 20% of your extracurricular activities provide 80% of the value for college applications

Focus on the vital few. Once you've identified your high-impact activities, allocate more time and energy to these areas. This doesn't mean neglecting other responsibilities, but rather ensuring that you're investing your best efforts where they'll have the greatest impact.

Regularly reassess your priorities. As your circumstances change, so will your high-impact activities. Periodically review your tasks and commitments to ensure you're still focusing on the most important 20%.

6. Break Large Tasks into Manageable Steps

There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants and a burning desire to achieve it.

Use the "salami slice" method. When faced with a large, daunting task, break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. This approach makes the overall task less overwhelming and allows you to make steady progress.

Create a detailed action plan. For each major project or goal:

1. List all the steps required to complete the task
2. Organize the steps by priority and sequence
3. Set deadlines for each step
4. Take immediate action on the first step

Maintain momentum. As you complete each small step, you'll build confidence and motivation to tackle the next one. This steady progress helps overcome procrastination and keeps you moving toward your larger goals.

7. Develop a Sense of Urgency

Do not wait; the time will never be "just right." Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.

Cultivate a bias for action. Highly successful people are characterized by their ability to take quick, decisive action. Develop this habit by:

• Starting tasks immediately, without unnecessary delay
• Setting self-imposed deadlines for your work
• Challenging yourself to complete tasks faster than expected

Enter a state of flow. By working with urgency and focus, you can enter a highly productive mental state known as "flow." In this state, you'll feel energized, clear-headed, and capable of tackling even the most challenging tasks.

Create artificial deadlines. To increase your sense of urgency, imagine scenarios that require immediate action. For example, pretend you're leaving for a month-long trip tomorrow and need to complete all essential tasks before departing. This mental trick can help you prioritize and act with greater speed and efficiency.

8. Focus Your Attention and Avoid Multitasking

Focused attention is the key to high performance.

Eliminate distractions. The modern world is full of interruptions that can derail your productivity. Take control of your environment by:

• Turning off notifications on your devices
• Finding a quiet, dedicated study space
• Using website blockers to limit access to time-wasting sites

Practice single-tasking. Contrary to popular belief, multitasking is inefficient and can lead to more errors. Instead:

• Focus on one task at a time
• Work in concentrated blocks of time (e.g., 30-60 minutes)
• Take short breaks between tasks to recharge

Improve your ability to focus. Like a muscle, your ability to concentrate can be strengthened with practice. Try techniques like:

• Mindfulness meditation
• The Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break)
• Gradually increasing your periods of uninterrupted work

By cultivating deep focus, you'll complete tasks more efficiently and retain information more effectively.

9. Prepare Thoroughly Before Beginning

Proper preparation is like getting everything ready to prepare a complete meal. You set all the ingredients out on the counter in front of you and then begin putting the meal together, one step at a time.

Set up your workspace. Before starting any task, take the time to create an optimal work environment:

• Clear your desk of unnecessary items
• Gather all required materials and resources
• Ensure you have a comfortable, ergonomic setup

Plan your approach. Take a few minutes to outline your strategy for tackling the task:

• Break the task into smaller steps
• Identify potential challenges and solutions
• Set specific goals for the work session

Overcome perfectionism. While preparation is crucial, don't let it become an excuse for procrastination. Aim for "good enough" to get started, knowing you can refine your work as you progress.

By thoroughly preparing before you begin, you'll reduce stress, increase focus, and set yourself up for success from the outset.

10. Use Technology Wisely

Technology is just a tool.

Harness technology's potential. The digital age offers unprecedented access to information and tools that can enhance your learning and productivity. Take advantage of:

• Online learning platforms (e.g., Khan Academy, Coursera)
• Productivity apps for task management and scheduling
• Digital note-taking and organization tools

Avoid technology pitfalls. While technology can be a powerful ally, it can also be a significant source of distraction. Implement strategies to maintain control:

• Use website blockers during study sessions
• Set specific times for checking email and social media
• Practice digital detoxes to reset your focus

Continuously evaluate your tools. Regularly assess the effectiveness of the technology you're using:

• Commit to trying new tools for at least two months before switching
• Focus on consistency rather than constantly chasing the "next big thing"
• Consider analog alternatives (e.g., paper planners) if digital tools aren't working for you

By using technology intentionally and maintaining a balanced approach, you can leverage its benefits while avoiding its potential pitfalls.

11. Practice Creative Procrastination

Creative procrastination is one of the most effective of all personal performance techniques. It can change your life.

Procrastinate strategically. Since you can't do everything, choose wisely what to put off. Deliberately delay or eliminate low-value activities to make room for high-priority tasks.

Set "posteriorities." Just as you prioritize important tasks, actively decide what you'll do less of or not at all. This might include:

• Limiting time spent on social media
• Scaling back involvement in less impactful extracurricular activities
• Saying "no" to non-essential commitments

Regularly reassess your commitments. Use "zero-based thinking" to evaluate your activities:

• Ask yourself, "If I weren't doing this already, would I start doing it now?"
• Be willing to let go of activities that no longer align with your goals
• Focus your energy on tasks that provide the highest return on your time investment

By practicing creative procrastination, you create space for what's truly important, allowing you to make significant progress on your most valuable goals and responsibilities.

Last updated: July 29, 2024