24 Seven January 2021

I
job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”
Set simple, achievable goals. Part of the reason we
procrastinate is because the work at hand seems too
daunting. Chunk it down into manageable tasks and
tackle one part at a time.
Disable notifications from e-mail, instant messaging
apps, social media or even apps you use for your work.
Schedule time to peruse social media or to check email
and stick to it!
As Benjamin Franklin said, “You may delay, but time
will not, and lost time is never found again.”
I am the queen of procrastination,
always have been. Throughout school and into my adult life,
I always waited until the last minute to get something
done, telling myself that I work best under pressure. The
reality was, I didn’t feel like doing the work and so I
waited until it was absolutely necessary. This behavior
resulted in so much unnecessary stress.
When I started my companies, I learned the hard way
that my usual style was not going to work. I hold at least
four full time jobs so there is too much that needs to be
completed and there are always deadlines. I recognized
that I needed to develop better time management
practices. Here are a few of my favorite ways to stay on
task:
Create lists. Lists are my lifeline. I make a monthly
list of main tasks that must be completed, then I break
those down into a weekly list, and then into a daily list.
Without that list I wouldn’t achieve a fraction of what
I do each day. It’s my secret weapon. I find that when I
don’t have a list to follow, I am all over the place. I will
start a project and then switch to something else, and
then something else, never completing anything. When
I have a list, I handle one task at a time, and then cross
it off when finished. It keeps me focused. Sometimes I
don’t even know what I have to do that day until I see
the list. And, I love seeing items crossed off because I
feel a sense of accomplishment.
Get the hard stuff done first. It’s hard to do something
that you don’t want to do, but it is best to complete your
most challenging assignments first. Everything after
takes a shorter amount of time and seems easier. Follow
Mark Twain’s advice: “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s
best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your
About The Author
JOAN HERRMANN
Joan Herrmann is the creator of the Change Your Attitude…
Change Your life brand and host of the radio show and podcast,
Conversations with Joan. She is a motivational speaker and the
publisher of 24 Seven magazine.
To Learn More Visit:
www.JoanHerrmann.com