Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time

Take Control of Your Communication
Clear your digital workspace as you would your physical desk; close every
program not needed for the task at hand. Block the websites that distract
you the most. Make sure that only the communication channels you need to
complete your task are open. Most tasks require some communication, but
having ten different ways to communicate is overkill. Once only relevant
information is visible on your screen, arrange your windows for perfect
workflow.
Show your smartphone who’s boss by disabling all notifications—both
audio and visual. This is an important step toward checking your phone on

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your own schedule and thus regaining control of your life.
But What about Emergencies?
Workers with responsibility for young children, elderly parents, or disabled
relatives may feel that unplugging from technology or disabling
notifications is simply not an option. What if their elderly parent slips in the
bath or their young child has an emergency at day care?
This is an absolutely valid concern. The solution, however, is not to be
available to everyone at all times. Rather, create a phone number, e-mail
address, or other communication channel that only the caretaker of your
loved one knows about. Leave that channel open, and reserve it for
emergencies.
If you desire, you can do this for your work life as well. Give your boss
or key clients a way to reach you that no one else has. You could also
program your e-mail manager to automatically sort e-mails from your most
important work relationships into a “Read First” folder.
In other words, segment your communication channels so that only frogs
can hop into your castle of concentration.
Take Control of Your Time
Your calendar makes a wonderful servant but a terrible master. Never
automatically click Accept on a digital invitation. Ask yourself if the
invitation really fits your priorities before pressing the button.
Schedule large blocks of time for task completion into your calendar, as
if they were appointments. Be so aggressive about it that when people look
at your calendar, they will see only a tiny slice of free time. This will
impress them and motivate them to schedule shorter meetings.
Your digital to-do list (otherwise known as “task management software”)
is a powerful tool for taking control of your time. It has all the positives of a
paper to-do list plus a few additional features.
Digital to-do lists allow you to transfer items to another person’s to-do
list at the click of a button. This can help you delegate more efficiently—
but make sure you accept only those tasks that are in line with your

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priorities. A digital to-do list can also be programmed to remind you
relentlessly about your most important tasks.