“Eating the frog” is a phrase that means tackling the least desirable or hardest work first.
Working smarter means optimizing your use of resources, including time.
Remote and hybrid work environments, automation, and other modern workplace trends make working smarter easier. However, meetings, mundane tasks, and other burdens still stack up on to-do lists and calendars regularly. More than 80% of career individuals say they spend up to a third of their working hours in meetings, for example.
You might also believe that good work ethic pays off in the long run — whether that means career growth, success for your business, or happy clients. Many people associate “good work ethic” with “working hard” — putting in the hours and pushing through the grind.
Working smarter can mean demonstrating good work ethic without pushing yourself in a way that makes burnout a likely outcome. Implementing the tips below can help you and your team work smarter while still supporting quality business outcomes.
Create a Schedule Based on Personal Productivity
Consider when you’re most productive so you can align your schedule with that energy.
It’s not always feasible to schedule your entire workday based on your own preferences — a night owl who’s energized from 3pm to midnight is unlikely to find business partners or clients willing to collaborate entirely on such a schedule.
However, you might be able to set your most challenging meetings in the late afternoon if that’s when you think best. You can also plan individual tasks, such as drafting complex contracts, during hours you’re more likely to work efficiently and accurately.
Follow the steps below to find your personal productivity sweet spots:
- Track completed tasks for 1-2 weeks. Use a planner, spreadsheet, or notebook. At the end of every work hour, spend a couple minutes recording everything you did.
- Track your energy levels and focus. For each hour, make a note about your energy levels, focus, and motivation. You might color code each hour: Red equals low energy and focus, yellow means average, and green means high.
- Analyze the data. Look for patterns that indicate blocks of time during your day or week when you tend to have more focus and energy and be more productive. Schedule more challenging tasks during those periods or plan highly productive batch work.
Just Eat the Frog
“Eating the frog” is a phrase that means tackling the least desirable or hardest work first. Psychologically, if there’s a task you really don’t want to handle on your to-do list, the entire list looks less attractive. You may be stressed about or focused on that challenging task, which can impact how you approach everything else.
When you eat the frog first, you get the least attractive task out of the way. You might even feel relieved or energized by checking it off your list, and that can help you finish the rest of your to-dos.
You can combine eating the frog with working according to your energy levels. Instead of handling the most challenging or least desirable task first thing in the day, do the hardest task first in each time block.
For example, if you work best from 10am to lunch, you might reserve those hours for your most complex tasks and handle administrative tasks from 8am to 10am. You can eat the frog during those early morning hours by answering the most challenging emails or completing admin tasks that are easy but that you simply dislike and tend to put off.
Implement a Minimum Viable Product Approach
Perfectionism can drive people to work harder instead of smarter. While you should always deliver work that meets or exceeds client or employer specifications, make sure you understand those requirements and aren’t engaging in overwork.
For example, a title agent examining a property title’s insurability and creating an insurance policy might spend a lot of time on eloquent wording and irrelevant details. In this scenario, a minimum viable product would be a policy that protects lenders and borrowers from loss due to errors or mistakes in the title.
A perfectionist might bemoan the fact that every field on the contract isn’t justified the same way. However, whether the client’s name appears at the right, left, or center of the blank line in the contract printout doesn’t impact the outcome. Spending time on such details makes the task harder and isn’t a smart use of resources.
Next Steps
Helping your team work smarter doesn’t require sweeping changes — small, intentional steps can make a lasting difference. Here’s where to begin:
- Talk with your team about what’s getting in the way. Are meetings dragging down focus time? Are people spinning their wheels on low-priority work? A quick conversation can uncover simple ways to cut back the clutter and free up time for meaningful tasks.
- Lead by example. Show your team what it looks like to “eat the frog” — tackle the tough task first — or to prioritize based on when you’re at your best. When your team sees you doing it, they’re more likely to follow suit.
- Set clear expectations, not perfection. Encourage your team to focus on delivering what’s needed — not over-polishing every detail. Clarifying what a “job well done” looks like can prevent burnout and keep everyone moving forward efficiently.
The takeaway? You don’t need new tools or fancy systems to make progress. Working smarter starts with conversations, clarity, and consistent leadership.