Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time

“The number one reason why some people get more work done faster is because they are absolutely clear about their goals and objectives, and they don’t deviate from them.”

Procrastination and a lack of motivation typically arise due to vagueness and confusion about the things you are trying to do. You may not understand what order you have to complete your task in or why do you have to do the task in the first place. 

If you are not clear about what you have to do, you will find it extremely difficult to find the success you desire.

“Your ability to make good plans before you act is a measure of your overall competence.”

Making a to-do list the night before will help you organize and plan the next day so you can get all your work done. It will help you keep a physical checklist of what you need to do, so you can better schedule your other commitments as well. Prioritizing your tasks according to the ABCDE method will ensure you devote enough time to your most important tasks, and it will keep you from wasting time on tasks that aren’t important at all.

“The most valuable tasks you can do each day are often the hardest and most complex.”

Most of us tend to spend a lot of time juggling multiple tasks. We used to believe that being productive depends on the number of tasks we can accomplish. However, the opposite is true: to be truly productive, we must only focus on the vital few that greatly contribute to our goals. 

The Pareto Principle states that 20% of your activities will account for 80% of your results. Using this will help you identify the tasks that will give you most of your results, so you won’t end up wasting time on the other, less important tasks.

“Your failure to perform in a critical result area of your work can lead to the end of your job as well.”

When we don’t know what kind of result we are trying to meet, it would be difficult for us to give our best and achieve more. 

A key result area refers to anything for which you are completely responsible, meaning that if you don’t do it, it doesn’t get done. Analyzing your key result areas should be done regularly throughout your career—it will help you improve your skills and understand which areas of your work you need to focus more on to maximize productivity.

“Never lose sight of the real reasons why you work as hard as you do.”

Too many of us are overwhelmed with the hours and amount of tasks we need to work on. This makes us miss out on a lot in life - such as spending time with our family or catching up with friends. 

To avoid this, we have to identify and work only on what brings the most contribution to our life. These are the ones that help advance our goals, which can be best identified through the Law of Three. 

Three core tasks that you perform contain most of the value that you contribute to your business or organization. If you can identify these tasks and focus your time on them, you will truly perform your best.

“One of the best ways for you to overcome procrastination and get more things done faster is to have everything you need at hand before you begin.”

A clean and tidy workspace promotes efficiency and productivity. Having all the necessary tools and work materials you require for your current task right in front of you will limit the amount of time you spend looking for them and allow you to work on your task with undivided focus.

Once you’ve fully prepared your workspace, make sure to act immediately toward your goals. Have the courage to execute your plans, and take the necessary actions that will bring you success. After all, having an initial preparation is nonsense if you’re not willing to take the next important steps.

“You are remarkable! You have special talents and abilities that make you different from every other person who has ever lived.”

Our unique talents and abilities are assets that cannot be taken away from us. We can use them to earn money, complete meaningful tasks, and make a significant contribution to the world. 

When you are working on tasks that you enjoy and are talented at, you are unlocking your personal potential and will perform much better.

“The raw material of personal performance and productivity is contained in your physical, mental and emotional energies.”

Your physical health and energy levels greatly impact your productivity: When your health and energy are high, you can get up to five times as much done as when you are tired and fatigued. This means working longer hours, no matter how important, will just make you produce lower-quality work in a slower time frame. 

To maximize productivity, you have to choose the time of the day when you work best and do your most important tasks during that time. Then, constantly work on improving your health and energy levels by taking regular breaks and getting enough sleep.

“Psychologically, you will find it easier to do a single, small piece of a large project than to start on the whole job.”

To perform at your best, you must become your own personal cheerleader. If your inner dialogue is positive and confident, you will be able to easily and naturally motivate yourself. Furthermore, when you focus on what you can do about any situation, rather than wallowing in despair about its negativity, you will be able to find solutions and eliminate the problem altogether.

When faced with difficult and seemingly impossible tasks, breaking them down into small tasks or working on them for a brief period will help you develop the forward momentum you need to complete them.

“Focus on specific steps you can take immediately.”

The average person is easily distracted and usually spends most of their time doing low-value activities. To be highly productive, you must break through interruptions and be able to work in a flow state – the phase where you work continuously. This can be accomplished by developing a sense of urgency. 

Developing a sense of urgency will push you to take fast action and complete tasks, resolve problems, and grab opportunities quickly, so you can get a lot more done in a day. When you get more things done, your self-esteem, self-respect, and pride increase, making you feel fully in control of your personal and professional life.