Eat That Frog
azichettello
Eat That Frog!
Chapter 1: Introduction
You will never catch up; there will always be more to do than you have time for (&K,&I)
You cannot teach someone that which he doesn't know, you could only bring that which someone knows to a higher level of awareness -Galileo (&K)
Learn from other successful people then apply what you learned
To succeed you need to focus on the most important thing and do it well and see it through to completion (&I)
This book is about actions, not science or theory or psychology
21 methods and techniques that apply to various aspects of success
Prioritization and getting the important things done is the best way to find success (&I,&K)
Work on the hardest of the most important challenges first (&I)
Don't think about things you know you have to do; just do them first thing in the morning (&K,&I)
95% of success comes from the habits you develop (&K,&I)
Important task completion gives you a rush of endorphins and dopamine such that it can easily become a habit if you just start and make it a routine
Become addicted to starting and completing important tasks
Think continuously about the rewards and benefits of being an action oriented person and it will come more naturally
Clarity of purpose is the most important part of personal productivity (&I)
A great rule to follow is to think on paper (&I)
7 step formula
1. Decide exactly what you want
2. Write it down
3. Set a deadline on your goal
4. Make a list of everything you will need to do to complete your goal
5. Organize your list into a plan
6. Take action immediately
7. Resolve to do something every day that moves you towards your major goal
Never miss a day
Think about your goals and review them daily and then take action right away
Chapter 2: Plan every day in advance
Make good plans before you act (&I)
A few minutes of planning each day saves lots of wasted energy throughout the day
Always work from a list (&I)
You can make your list the night before to get your subconscious solving problems
You should have a master list, monthly list, weekly list and daily list (&K)
Set priorities and sequences (&K)
Make a master list in Laddice and organize into monthly, weekly and daily tasks based on priorities (*T)
Chapter 3: Apply the 80-20 rule to everything
Most people procrastinate the vital few and busy themselves with unimportant items (&K)
Always ask yourself if what you're doing is in the top 20% or bottom 80% and never do the bottom 80% until the top 20% is complete (&I)
Chapter 4: Consider the consequences
The potential consequences of an activity is the key way to evaluate the importance of a task (&K)
Long term perspective is the best way to success (&I)
Long term thinking improves short term decision making
Before starting anything ask yourself what are potential consequences of doing or not doing it
Future intent influences present actions (&K)
Successful people delay gratification
There is never enough time to do everything but often plenty of time to do the most important things (&K)
Research shows that the pressure of deadlines and the resulting stress reduce efficiency (&K,&I)
What can you and only you do that will make a difference? (&K)
Chapter 5: Practice creative procrastination
Procrastinate or delegate low value activities (&K)
Avoid unconscious procrastination at all costs (&I)
Chapter 6: Practice the ABCDE method continuously
The first law of success is concentration
ABCDE method:
A = high impact, high importance item
B = important but not nearly as much as A
C = not important but nice to do
D = something that could be delegated
E = something that could be eliminated
Then label each item in order of importance
A1 is the biggest frog
Try ABCDE method (*T)
Chapter 7: Focus on key result areas
There are generally 5 to 7 key vital functions you need to perform in any job
What are my key result areas? (&I)
Your poorest key result area is what holds you back (&I)
Identify your areas of weakness and set goals to improve them (&I)
What 1 skill if developed well would have the greatest impact on my career?
Never stop improving your key result areas
What are my key result areas? (*+T)
What are my poorest areas? (*+T)
Work on weakest areas (*T)
Chapter 8: The law of 3
The ultimate goal is generally to live a long and happy life
Determine the 3 most important things I do at work and then ask what would be the impact of doing just those things and nothing else (&K)
Do this for all aspects of life too
What are the 3 most important things I do at work and in life? Can I just do those things? (*T)
Chapter 9: Prepare thoroughly before you begin
Have everything you need at hand before you begin and executing will be much easier
Make your work area nice and comfortable to complete tasks
Get it 80% right the first time then correct it later (&K)
Consider making work area nicer (*T)
Chapter 10: Take it one oil barrel at a time
Focus on one thing at a time
Chapter 11: Upgrade your key skills
A major contributor to procrastination is a feeling of inadequacy in one or more areas required to complete the task (&K)
So you need to learn the things you feel you are inadequate in
Continuous learning is required to succeed in any field
Read in your field for at least an hour a day
Take courses and seminars
Listen to audio books and programs in the car
Turn driving time into learning time and it could be enough to become an expert in any field (&K)
Identify the key skills that will help you the most in your field and develop those skills
Chapter 12: Leverage your special talents
Identify your special area of uniqueness and then become very good in those areas
What do you naturally do well that others have to struggle with?
What do you enjoy the most?
What is my special area of uniqueness and how can I develop it? (*T)
Chapter 13: Identify your key constraints
What is holding you back or slowing you down? (&I)
Identify the current limiting factor
Once you eliminate one constraint there is always the next one to conquer (&K)
Eliminating key constraints is often the most important frog and always feels good to get it done (&I,&K)
Identify my key constraints and work to eliminate them (*T)
Chapter 14: Put the pressure on yourself
Only about 2% of people could work entirely without supervision; we call them leaders (&K)
Always look for ways to go the extra mile
Build up your reputation to yourself (&I,&K)
Work as though you have only one day to complete the task at hand
Create your own forcing system and set deadlines and sub deadlines on all activities (&I)
Estimate the time it will take to finish each item then race to win and complete it faster making it a game (&K)
Always have personal deadlines for everything I set out to do then try to beat them (*T)
Chapter 15: Maximize your personal powers
Stay fully rested (&I)
Identify the times of the day you at your best and use those times to accomplish your most challenging tasks (&I,&K)
Sometimes the very best use of your time is to go home early and sleep for 10 hours straight (&I,&K)
Take 1 full day off per week and do nothing that taxes your brain on that day; spend time with family or friends, watch a movie, exercise, etc. (&I,&K)
Take vacations
Start day with high protein, low fat, low carb breakfast (&I)
Avoid very sugary things (&I)
Exercise for 30 minutes a day (&I)
Make sure I emphasize a healthy lifestyle in order to stay productive (*T)
Plenty of sleep
Working at peak hours (6-9AM)
Days off for rest (1 a week?)
Vacations
Nutrition
Exercise
Meditate*
Chapter 16: Motivate yourself into action
Be an optimist and always respond positively to people and actions and events (&I)
Continue to tell yourself you can do it
The last great freedom of mankind is the freedom to choose your attitude under any external situation - Viktor Frankl (Logotherapy) (&K,&I)
Never share your problems with others because 80% don't care and about 20% are glad you have the problems (&K)
Optimists: (&I)
1) Always find the positive
2) Always find the lesson from each set back
3) Become action oriented instead of blaming and complaining
Optimists also think a lot about their goals and future, not their past or where they have came from
Talking to your self in a positive way gives you a sense of power and control (&K,&I)
You become what you think about most of the time
Refuse to criticize, complain or blame for anything (&I)
Focus on keeping optimistic (*T)
Chapter 17: Get out of the technological time sinks
There is more to life than just speed -Gandhi (&K)
Detach from technology on a regular basis
Discipline yourself to use technology as a servant, not a master
Just leave things off
There is no need to read or watch the news...if something is important people will tell you at their first opportunity! (&K)
You just need to have a social network or be around people enough (&KA)
Try avoiding using technology at times that it makes sense (*T)
Chapter 18: Slice and dice the task
Salami slice approach
Divide task into many slices and do one slice at a time
Swiss cheese approach
Working for a set time period and then resting
This is likened to the pomodoro technique (&KA)
Compulsion to completion is often experienced (&K)
Salami slice and swiss cheese methods are great ways to overcome procrastination
Chapter 19: Create large chunks of time
Make appointments with yourself and be disciplined to keep them
Getting up early in the morning when no one else could bother is a great way to get a lot done
Work on an airplane
Work uninterrupted and steady during the allocated time block (&K)
This allows you to get things done faster
Try creating appointments on my calendar to get important things done (*T)
Try working through an activity without interruption (*T)
Chapter 20: Develop a sense of urgency
Work steadily
Get into a flow state
What is flow? (*RT)
An inner drive of urgency often contributes to achieving flow (&K)
The momentum effect
Keep repeating:
“Do it now”
“Back to work”
Try getting into a state of flow (*T)
Chapter 21: Single handle every task
Keep working on a project continuously till it is complete
Concentrate single mindedly on the most important task and don't stop
The more you discipline yourself to work through a task, the greater efficiency you develop (&K)
Self discipline leads to higher self respect which leads to a greater ability to be more self disciplined (&K,&I)
Summary of the 21 great ways to conquer procrastination (*RT)
Review and outline summary (*T)