This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "Eat That Frog!" by Brian Tracy. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.
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Do you want to know how to get things done more efficiently? Do you want a quick-reference guide for Brian Tracy’s book Eat That Frog?
If you want advice on how to get things done, follow this guide from Eat That Frog. Following these rules can you develop good habits and get on the road to success faster.
Continue on for the Eat That Frog quick-reference guide on how to get things done.
How to Get Things Done
Brian Tracy’s book Eat That Frog is essentially about how to get things done. Developing the habit of doing your most important task, or eating your biggest frog, the first thing each work day primes you for success. Anyone can learn how to get things done. Following the rules laid out in this book can help you develop the habit and get on the road to success faster. Here’s a quick-reference guide on how to get things done:
1) Determine your goals: Determine what you want to accomplish, then write down your goals.
2) Plan each day: On a sheet of paper, list everything you have to do. A minute spent planning can save 10 in implementation.
3) Live by the 80/20 rule: 20% of your efforts will produce 80% of your results. Focus on doing the few things that make the most difference.
4) Weigh the consequences: The most important thing you can do is the one with the biggest consequences or greatest impact. Determine which thing that is and do it first.
5) Be a creative procrastinator: Since you can’t do everything, you have to put off or eliminate something. Procrastinate on small things so you can get the important things done.
6) Prioritize your to-do list: Prioritize your to-do list using the ABCDE method to ensure you get the right things done. (A=must do, B=should do, C=nice to do, D=delegate, E=eliminate.)
7) Focus on results: Identify the key areas of your job where you’re expected to deliver results, and make sure you focus on them. Your success and your company’s depend on your delivering these results.
8) Create work-life balance: Determine the three things you do at work that account for the majority of the value you contribute. Also, set three personal or life goals. Focus on completing the most important things at work, so you’ll have time for your personal priorities.
9) Be fully prepared: Before you begin an important task, make sure you have everything you’ll need in front of you so you’re not distracted by looking for things later.
10) Take it step by step: Make a big job doable is by breaking into smaller steps and focusing on one step at a time.
11) Build your skills: Continually upgrade your skills to increase your value and productivity and advance your career.
12) Identify your biggest limitation: Identify the biggest thing that’s holding you, your project, or the company back and eliminate it. Removing it will significantly speed up your progress toward your goal.
13) Motivate yourself: To reach your potential, continually push yourself to complete your most important tasks. Set your own deadlines and race to beat them. Coach yourself: use your inner voice to encourage and urge you to excel. Approach your work with a sense of urgency, or a compulsion to get on with the job and get it done.
14) Make technology work for you: Take control of your devices by using the available features to organize your work, remind you of what’s important, and keep unimportant things from distracting you.
15) Stay focused: Focus on your most important task for two sustained 90-minute periods each morning. Use a planner to block out this time and stick to it. Eliminate interruptions and don’t multitask.
Now that you know how to get things done, what are you waiting for? Stop procrastinating and eat that frog!
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Like what you just read? Read the rest of the world's best book summary and analysis of Brian Tracy's "Eat That Frog!" at Shortform .
Here's what you'll find in our full Eat That Frog! summary :
- What it means to eat a frog
- How your daily distractions get in the way of doing important work first
- How to make a habit of doing the most important thing first, every day
