Eat That Frog: Why Task Prioritization Begins with Your Biggest Challenge

Have you ever found yourself at the end of a busy day wondering why your most important work remains untouched? You answered emails, attended meetings, and checked off numerous small tasks—yet that one crucial project still looms large, untouched and growing more daunting by the hour.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many of us instinctively gravitate toward easier, more manageable tasks while postponing the challenging ones—those “frogs” we dread facing. But what if I told you that transforming your productivity might be as simple as flipping your approach and tackling your most challenging task first thing each day?

This concept, popularized by productivity expert Brian Tracy as “eating that frog,” represents more than just a quirky time management technique. It’s a philosophy that can fundamentally change not just what you accomplish, but who you become in the process.

The Science Behind Task Prioritization and “Eating the Frog”

Task prioritization isn’t just about getting more done—it’s about getting the right things done. The “eat that frog” methodology takes this principle to its logical conclusion: identify your most important and challenging task, then tackle it first before anything else competes for your attention.

But why does this approach work so effectively? The answer lies in understanding how our brains function throughout the day.

Research consistently shows that our cognitive resources are at their peak in the morning hours for most people. This means your brain is literally better equipped to handle complex challenges earlier in the day. By aligning your most demanding work with your peak mental performance hours, you’re strategically matching difficulty with capacity.

As the Asana productivity team notes, “Frogs require more time than other tasks,” and doing them early allows you to harness your best energy and mental clarity for what matters most. This isn’t just efficient—it’s strategic task prioritization at its finest.

Three Powerful Benefits of Tackling Your Hardest Task First

1. Breaking the Procrastination Cycle

Procrastination feeds on itself. The longer we avoid challenging tasks, the more intimidating they become. By confronting your biggest challenge first thing each day, you short-circuit this cycle.

LinkedIn productivity experts highlight that “tackling the most challenging and important task first builds momentum by completing difficult tasks early in the day.” This momentum is crucial—it creates a positive feedback loop where accomplishment fuels further action.

Think about it: how different does your day feel after conquering something significant in the morning versus pushing it off until later? That difference isn’t just psychological—it manifests in tangible productivity gains throughout your day.

2. Maximizing Deep Work Potential

In today’s distraction-filled world, the ability to engage in deep, focused work is becoming increasingly rare—and therefore increasingly valuable. When you prioritize your most important task first, you’re essentially creating a protected space for deep work before the day’s inevitable interruptions begin.

Email notifications, meeting requests, and urgent (but often unimportant) matters tend to accumulate as the day progresses. By eating your frog first, you ensure that your most valuable work receives your undivided attention during your clearest thinking hours.

3. Developing Stronger Prioritization Muscles

Success isn’t just about what you accomplish today—it’s about developing the habits and skills that shape who you become over time. Consistently prioritizing important over urgent and difficult over easy strengthens your decision-making abilities.

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences notes that the “eat that frog” method, like the 80/20 rule, is particularly effective for managing time by “doing the most onerous tasks first and getting them out of the way.” This ensures that crucial objectives are addressed rather than perpetually postponed.

Over time, this practice reshapes your relationship with challenging work. What once seemed daunting becomes merely the first item on your daily agenda—a shift that transforms not just your productivity but your self-perception.

How to Prioritize Daily Tasks Using the “Eat That Frog” Method

Implementing this approach requires intention and preparation. Here’s how to make it work for you:

1. Prepare Your “Frog” the Night Before

End each workday by identifying tomorrow’s most important task—your frog. Write it down clearly and place it somewhere you’ll see immediately when beginning work. This preparation eliminates morning decision fatigue and prevents the temptation to postpone identifying your challenging task.

The key question to ask yourself: “If I could accomplish only one thing tomorrow, which task would deliver the most value or move me closest to my most important goal?”

2. Create a Distraction-Free Morning Environment

Before beginning your day’s most important task, proactively eliminate potential interruptions:

• Silence notifications on your devices
• Close unnecessary browser tabs and applications
• Inform colleagues you’ll be unavailable during your deep work session
• Clear your physical workspace of unrelated materials

This environmental preparation signals to your brain that serious work is about to happen and removes friction from the process.

3. Use Time Blocking for Protection

Allocate a specific timeframe—ideally 60-90 minutes—exclusively for tackling your frog. Mark this time as non-negotiable in your calendar. This protected time block serves as a commitment to yourself and a boundary against competing demands.

Many successful practitioners of this method find that scheduling this focused work before checking email or attending meetings dramatically increases their success rate.

When You’re Tempted to Avoid the Frog

Despite knowing the benefits, you’ll inevitably face resistance to tackling difficult tasks first. When this happens:

1. Start with five minutes: Commit to working on your challenging task for just five minutes. This small commitment often overcomes initial resistance, and momentum will carry you forward.

2. Break it down further: If your frog feels too overwhelming, divide it into smaller components. Sometimes what we’re avoiding isn’t the task itself but its perceived size.

3. Remind yourself of past victories: Recall previous challenging tasks you’ve completed and how you felt afterward. This mental rehearsal of success can provide the confidence boost needed to begin.

The Transformation Beyond Productivity

The true power of consistently tackling your most challenging tasks first extends beyond mere productivity gains. This practice gradually transforms who you are—building discipline, courage, and self-trust that spill over into every area of life.

Truly applying Eat That Frog isn’t just about productivity—it’s about developing confidence and personal transformation. Photo by Dane Deaner on Unsplash

When you repeatedly prove to yourself that you can face difficult challenges head-on rather than avoiding them, you develop a fundamental confidence that changes how you approach all obstacles. You become someone who doesn’t shy away from difficulty but leans into it, knowing that’s where growth happens.

Remember, success isn’t just what you know—it’s who you become. By consistently eating that frog first thing each day, you’re not just managing tasks more effectively; you’re becoming the kind of person who tackles challenges directly, prioritizes what truly matters, and builds momentum through decisive action.

What “frog” will you eat tomorrow morning?