eat the frog
Hardest task first
Eat the frog means to tackle your most difficult or dreaded task first thing, before anything else.
The idea is that if the worst thing you have to do all day is eat a frog, you should get it over with early—everything after will feel easier by comparison: I always eat the frog before checking email.
The phrase is associated with productivity advice and time management.
- tackleGear or takedown
- priorityStatus of greater importance
- morningDay's early hours
- difficultRequiring much effort
- taskWork to be done
get it done · to-do list · time management · unpleasant · productivity · early morning · willpower · discipline · Mark Twain · hardest · first · dreading · swallow · bitter · courage · momentum · resistance · challenging
- productivityproductivity, checking off, prioritization, finishing, output
- prioritizationranking, priority list, ordering, urgency, urgent
eat the frogpath of least resistance
Course requiring least effort
rearranging deck chairs · procrastination · procrastinate · avoidance · put off
eat the frogescapism
Habitual mental retreat
avoidance · comfort zone · path of least resistance · take the easy way out · denial