What “Eat the frog” means and how to apply It

You’ve probably heard the phrase “eat the frog” and thought… why would anyone want to do that? 

The thing is, as you already assume, the frog isn’t literal (nor in danger). It’s just a weirdly memorable way to remind yourself to tackle your most difficult task first thing in the day. 

Do that, and everything after feels like eating a pizza. Or lasagne. Or tacos!

In this piece, aside from making you hungry, we’ll break down what “eat the frog” really means, why it works, and how to make it part of your daily routine.

What does “Eat the frog” mean?

If the first thing you did every morning was eat a live frog, the rest of your day would feel like a breeze. That’s the logic behind Eat the Frog - a productivity principle made popular by Brian Tracy (inspired, supposedly, by a quip from Mark Twain). 

Your “frog” is your biggest, most important task. The one you’re most likely to procrastinate on. The idea? Tackle it first thing in the morning routine, before your willpower gets distracted by emails, errands, or existential dread.

Eating your frog means doing the thing that moves the needle. The task you’ve been avoiding. The one that’s not necessarily urgent, but is absolutely essential.

Because when you frog feast first, everything else becomes more manageable. You beat procrastination, clear mental clutter, become self-accountable, and start your workday with a quiet win. As a result, it snowballs into bigger momentum.

So next time you're staring at your to-do list, ask yourself: what's my frog tomorrow? And can I eat it before I talk myself out of it?

Why we procrastinate on “frogs”

Your frog probably isn’t actually that terrifying. It’s just... emotionally loaded.

Splitting hairs, are we? Well… guilty… but bear with us for a second.

The frog is the task you’ll procrastinate on if you don’t get to it first. Not because it’s the hardest, but because it’s the one that stirs discomfort. We’ve been giving it power for weeks already, by delaying, so now it’s not a task - it’s a gorilla. We explain this in detail in our piece on procrastination.

Brian Tracy’s productivity method works because it sidesteps that mental tug-of-war. 

Rather than arguing with your brain all morning, you eat the frog first thing and give yourself the rest of the day back.

So why do we delay these frogs? 

According to a recent research published on PubMed Central, we often fall victim to psychological bias. We tackle less important tasks even though they don’t yield great benefits. It’s called the mere urgency effect. We get lured by urgency because quick tasks offer immediate feedback or a sense of accomplishment. And we like that, right?

Mark Twain once said if you eat a live frog first thing in the morning, it’s probably the worst thing you’ll do all day. That’s the whole point of eating - not thinking about it. One frog, one first, no mental negotiating.

The psychology behind the Eat the frog method

Why does the eat the frog technique work so well for people trying to get things done? Here’s what science tells us:

Willpower fades

According to groundbreaking research by Roy Baumeister in 1998, willpower is a limited resource. The more decisions or temptations you face, the more it drains. 

A famous “radish vs. chocolate” study showed that people who resisted tempting food gave up sooner on difficult tasks. The lesson? Eat the frog first thing in the morning, before your mental energy depletes.

You think better early 

Your cognitive horsepower is strongest when you're rested. Studies on time blocking and ultradian rhythms (natural focus cycles of 90–120 min) confirm that, in general, we do our best deep work early in the day. 

So, if you’re going to eat a live frog, do it when your brain’s ready for it.

Starting early silences mental noise

The Zeigarnik Effect shows that unfinished tasks stay active in your brain. Unfinished tasks create a state of tension and intrusive thoughts.

When you complete the task early, you free up mental bandwidth for everything else.

One meaningful win fuels the rest of your day

According to research by Harvard’s Teresa Amabile, even a small step forward on an important task first can boost your mood and motivation. 

That early win builds momentum and reinforces your identity as someone who gets things done.

You get clarity, not just productivity

Choosing the “frog” forces you to decide what truly matters. Locke & Latham’s goal-setting theory shows that specific, challenging goals outperform vague ones. We explain this in our piece on Begin with the end in mind. 

Eat the frog reframes your day around a single, defined priority.

How to put “Eat the frog” into practice

Ready to stop staring at the frog and actually eat it? Here’s how to build the eat the frog technique into your daily routine, step by step, backed by research.

Step 1: Decide the night before what your frog is

The biggest productivity killer in the morning isn’t laziness, it’s indecision. If you wait until you’re already tired or distracted to choose your important task first, your brain will default to easy, shallow work (like email). Instead:

• Before you end your workday, ask: “What’s the one task that will make the biggest difference tomorrow?”

• This should be a task that’s high-impact, slightly uncomfortable, and easy to procrastinate - a classic frog.

• If you’re unsure, look in the Eisenhower Matrix’s “Important but Not Urgent” quadrant.

Bonus tip: Write it down on a sticky note and leave it on your desk. The fewer decisions you need to make in the morning, the more likely you are to start right away.

Step 2: Schedule frog time - and guard it

Don’t just “hope” you’ll get to the frog. Time-block it. Literally book it into your calendar like a meeting and treat it just as seriously.

• Set a 60–90 min block early in your day (ideally your first deep work slot).

• Add a reminder: “Eat the frog, no distractions.”

• Let teammates know you’ll be unavailable during this window, or put your Slack status to “Deep work.”

• Schedule a focus session with FLOWN to make sure you build accountability and boost motivation

Why it works: This reduces decision fatigue and protects your mental energy for what matters most. It’s how you make sure the frog actually gets eaten.

Step 3: Use if-then planning to reduce resistance

The fancy term is “implementation intentions.” The idea is simple: if you plan the when, where, and what in advance, you’re far more likely to follow through.

Say it like this:

According to a review in Psychology Today, people who created if-then plans were 2–3x more likely to follow through than those who didn’t.

You’re basically setting a trap for procrastination (and winning).

Step 4: Break your frog into smaller bites

The frog method doesn’t mean you have to do the whole thing in one go. It just means you start. This is an important distinction.

• Take the big, scary task and slice it into smaller pieces: “Write report” becomes “draft outline” or “brainstorm key points.”

• Ask yourself: What’s the very first physical action I can take to make progress? Then start there.

This removes friction, reduces overwhelm, and gives you the quick win you need to keep going.

Step 5: Eliminate friction and prime your environment

Your frog is loaded enough, don’t make it harder.

• Clear your desk and close unrelated tabs before starting.

• Put your phone in another room or use an app like Freedom or Cold Turkey.

• Keep all needed materials prepped in advance so you don’t waste energy gathering stuff.

Also, pair it with something you enjoy. Fresh coffee. Lo-fi music. A sunny workspace. Make the thing you do each morning something you almost look forward to.

Step 6: Reward yourself after

The frog takes effort, and your brain deserves to know it was worth it.

• After finishing your task, take a guilt-free break.

• Go for a walk, scroll memes, or tick off that checkbox with a little fist pump.

• Enjoy the satisfaction of knowing you did the most important thing already.

Over time, your brain starts craving that reward loop. It’s habit science: cue → action → reward. That’s how routines stick.

Step 7: Repeat daily until it becomes a habit

Research from the European Journal of Social Psychology found that habits take 66 days on average to stick, but consistency is what matters, not perfection.

• Even if you don’t “finish” your frog, always start it.

• One task at a time, same time each day.

• Eventually, your brain gets the message: “Morning is time for breakfast.”

And that’s when magic happens. You’ll start your days with purpose, make progress on big goals, and stop wasting mental energy on what-ifs.

Final thoughts

“Eating the frog” is a simple concept on the surface but behind it lies a rich foundation of time-tested wisdom and scientific insight. 

It recognizes that our mornings are precious, that our willpower wanes with fatigue, that we love to delay the uncomfortable, but that we also crave the fulfillment of meaningful accomplishment. By consciously choosing to conquer the big tasks, we set ourselves up for greater productivity and personal satisfaction.

As the 1-minute old saying (almost) goes, swallow your frogs and you’ll unlock a day of freedom. With science and habits on your side, you might even learn to relish the taste of productivity every morning. Bon appétit!