Eat the frog or Build the Momentum

When it comes to creating a system to tackle everyday tasks, I am often asked what the best strategy is.  Just like a golfer who uses the best club for the best situation, I recommend having several strategies to tackle tasks.  When building your systems, make sure you understand the benefits of each and utilize what you feel is best for a given situation.

The first thing to do when having a large number of random tasks that need to be completed is to build a list.  This will help you to reduce your stress level because you don't have to remember each task or think about any task other than the one that you are currently working on.

When there is one large, important task that needs to be done and a bunch of smaller tasks, many authors will argue that it is best to tackle that task first.  They say that if there is a big frog that you need to eat, eat it first.  That way the rest of the tasks will be easy.

Another strategy is to tackle the important smaller tasks first to build momentum before trying to eat your frog.  You will feel that there is less to do and won't be worried that after you eat the frog you will not have the motivation to do anything else.  This is often the strategy I use when doing chores around the house.  Once I start to do a few things I have more energy and can then attempt the larger chore, such as cleaning the garage.

Whichever method you implore, the biggest factor will be to avoid distractions.  Distractions are all around us and unless we focus on the task at hand and refuse to allow those distractions to take over, we will struggle to complete anything.

Whether you prefer to eat the frog or not, start to develop several systems that you can employ to accomplish tasks.  Having one is more than most people but by having several ways to go through your various tasks, you will be able to fit your system to the specific situation.  This will give you the best chance at success!