Tag: productivity

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Eating the Frog

“Eat that frog!” is a phrase made popular by author Brian Tracy.

The basic idea is that if you have to do something difficult, you might as well do it right away in the morning so the worst part of your day is behind you. (Hopefully none of us have to do anything worse than eating a live frog.) The original quote is often attributed to Mark Twain, but he actually didn’t say it.

Regardless of where the idea began, it can be helpful in beating procrastination.

I finally ate a frog over the last couple of days.

It had been hopping around in my brain for the last week and a half, making quite an annoying racket whenever I tried to relax.

“Ribbit. Ribbit. What about that editing project you’re supposed to be working on?”

I would sigh and get all tense, but I kept right on pushing my frog aside.

This project was tricky. I was supposed to be helping another editor clean up a bunch of pages of complicated footnotes. Every time I looked at it, I wondered if I could do it and do it well. So I put it off another day. (It didn’t help that I got COVID for a week or so in there.)

I finally decided to “eat that frog” and I got started. I immediately felt some relief from the tension that had been building up. I finished today and turned it in. It ended up taking about six hours in total.

I found myself wishing with all my heart that I would have started a couple of weeks ago instead of letting it go. Oh well, too late now. I just have to remember how I’m feeling for future projects.

I wonder how many other frogs I have jumping around in my life? They pop up once in a while.

I see paperwork for something in a pile on my desk and I sigh and push it aside. Ribbit!

I remember a writing project that has a deadline and I find something else to do until the day before it’s due. Ribbit!

I see someone’s post come up on social media and think about writing to them, but I don’t do it right away. Other things seem more important so I don’t get it done. Ribbit!

All of those frogs add stress and guilt to our lives. The paperwork turns into late fees and hassles. The writing projects don’t get submitted and opportunities are missed. The unwritten letters turn to regret when it’s too late someday.

If you’ve been procrastinating (like me!), it’s time to eat the frog!

“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” (Proverbs 14:23 NIV)

Do you find yourself procrastinating in any area of your life? How can focusing on God help you “eat the frog” and get things done?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Letting the King Order Our Days

I love it when a verse pops out at me while I’m doing devotions in the morning.

Today I was reading in Nehemiah. There are many lists of names in that Old Testament book, so it can be hard to stay focused and find something inspirational.

All of a sudden, I noticed this sentence about the musicians: “They were under royal orders, which determined their daily activities.” (Nehemiah 11:23 NLT)

That thought really hit me and I’ve been pondering it all day. Am I letting the King determine my daily activities?

Way too often I drift through my days, jumping from one activity to another and not really accomplishing anything of significance.

What if I were to let God (my King) order my days?

My day might end up being more satisfying if I woke up in the morning and asked, “God, what do you want me to do today?”

When I feel that familiar wave of boredom wash over me, I might be able to ride on top of it instead of being drowned by it if I would just ask my King what he wants me to do next.

He might prompt me to work hard on my latest writing project.

He might suggest that I write a letter to a friend.

He might tell me I need to relax and watch a movie with my husband.

The possibilities are endless, but we need to develop the habit of asking God, “What now?”

We only have a certain number of days here on this earth. Imagine all we could accomplish if we let the King order each of those days.

“The musicians were under the king’s orders, which regulated their daily activity.” (Nehemiah 11:23 NIV)

Who determines your daily activities? How can focusing on God help you to find fulfillment in every day?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Enjoying Time Away

(This is the view from my parents’ house in Tennessee.)

I’m on vacation this week.

It’s strange, though, because I’m by myself.

Gary and I usually take trips together, but we decided I could just book a flight and go visit my parents and sister in Tennessee this week. Flying for the first time in about eighteen months was fun, but I missed sharing the experience with my husband.

Visiting my parents is nice, but I find myself fighting feelings of guilt for going off for a week and leaving my hubby to work and take care of things at home while I’m gone.

He’s not helpless and I know he’ll do fine, so I’m trying to just enjoy my time away. I’m taking long walks and spending time talking with my mom and dad and helping them do a few things around the house while I’m here.

As I’ve wrestled with my thoughts, I’m realizing that we often do this (or is it just me?).

When we’re working, we wish we could be playing.

When we’re playing, we feel guilty about the work we should be doing.

When we’re at home, we put off the tasks and responsibilities we have and fill our time with activities that can often be meaningless.

And when we’re taking time away, we too often think about all of the projects we left undone back at home.

If only we could focus completely on whatever we’re doing, balancing our work and play so that our tasks get done and we also enjoy our free time.

When I get back home, I’ll practice working hard when it’s time to work and enjoying my time off when it’s time to relax.

For now, I’m going to make sure I enjoy the rest of my time away.

“I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.” (Ecclesiastes 3:12–13 NIV)

Do you enjoy your time away, or are you distracted by the work you left behind? How can focusing on God help you to work when it’s time to work and relax when it’s time to relax?

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Super Saturday: Let’s Focus on Every Second

As I was reading someone’s blog post this week, this line stopped me in my tracks: Every second of every day counts.

Wait, what? Every second?

Oh, the guilt that washed over me as I contemplated that sentence. Because, truth is, I don’t always treat every second as if it counts much at all. I’ve piddled away hundreds of thousands of seconds, I’d guess.

What does it really mean that every second counts? Does that mean we should be constantly working, using every second to accomplish our goals and projects? Should we feel guilty when we just sit and watch a sunset, our young child playing, or another rerun of Friends?

To tell you the truth, I’m not really sure what to think about it, but it’s definitely worth contemplating.

I think God wants us to spend time resting, relaxing, and enjoying his creation. So the seconds we spend watching a beautiful sunset or a playing child do count for something. (The rerun of Friends is a bit more questionable, but I think there may even be room for that if we’re spending the rest of our seconds wisely. Or maybe not.)

Where I need some work is really being deliberate about the seconds I have every day. Too often I say that I’m going to work on something “today” or “this week” and then the day or the week is over and I haven’t spent even sixty seconds on that task or project.

That’s why my book proposal isn’t finished. That’s why my podcast isn’t launched. That’s why so many of my good ideas don’t get done.

I don’t acknowledge that every second of every day counts, and so I go through many days distracted and restless, thinking about the things I want to do, but not spending the seconds I need to on them. I’m frustrated and stuck in one place.

If we take each second seriously, we can feel good about the seconds we spend working (because we’ll actually see the results of our hard work) and the seconds we spend relaxing (because we know that we deserve the break and we’ll get back to work again when it’s time). Every second of every day will count and we’ll see forward motion in more areas of our life.

Thanks for taking the seconds needed to read this post. Let’s all make each second count – every day.

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ” (Ephesians 5:15-16 ESV)

Do you ever think about how every second counts? How can focusing on God help you to use each second wisely, whether you’re working or relaxing?