Todoist Eat The Frog

Eat the Frog Method Productivity consultant Brian Tracy named the Eat The Frog method after a quote from Mark Twain Identify one important task for the day and do it first You don’t put up your feet and call it a day once you’ve eaten your one frog You’ll still work on other things, but your most important (often your.

Behance’s popular Action Method online service shuttered on June 1st. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Action Method, here’s a brief rundown, courtesy of Lifehacker:

Todoist Foundations Landing Page - Spot Illustrations. View Todoist Foundations – Illustration. View Productivity Foundations. Todoist has an excellent guide on frog scheduling. By the end of the week, you’ll have eaten at least 5 frogs! By the end of the week, you’ll have eaten at least 5 frogs! And don’t forget the motivational power of achieving small victories – you might just find that the first frog didn’t taste so bad after all, and maybe you’re.

The best way to manage those tasks is to do them first. Brian Tracy refers to this method as 'eating your frog.' If you ate a live frog in the morning, the rest of your day would seem quite pleasant because the worst is over. By completing your worst task, you get motivated to complete other assignments. Source — Todoist Over time, you form a habit of doing this every single day. If you plan your tasks in a bullet journal, you can make a unique bullet journal key where you make a frog icon next.

“The Action Method proposes that you leave every event, whether it’s a meeting or a brainstorming session, with a set of concrete tasks you can perform, called ‘action steps.’ Each item is its own to-do, and they’re kept separate from ‘references,’ or the materials you need to accomplish those items.”

The Lifehacker article also notes that many productivity apps can be adapted to work with the Action Method. While Behance suggested a couple of decent services that can be used as successors to their web app, they didn’t mention my new task manager of choice, Todoist, as one of them. And Todoist can really work well in terms of setting up a basic framework that supports the Action Method.

Projects

Todoist Eat The Frog Movie

This is typical for any system, where you can set up projects where tasks will be assigned. With the Action Method “action steps” serve the same purpose as tasks, and get assigned to projects. In Todoist, simply create projects as you usually would to set up the basic framework for implementing the Action Method.

This is where the colour-coding feature can come in handy. You can assign colours to projects that are current (I usually colour these green), projects that are on hold (I usually colour these red), and projects that are yet to be moved on (I usually leave these the default colour of grey). Colour-coding allows you to see at a glance what projects are active, and you can also move around projects to get a better view of what you need to focus on regularly.

Todoist also allows you to layer projects within one another, so you can create a larger project to represent an area of responsibility (much like David Allen’s GTD methodology — and the book Getting Things Done is now available to digest quicker than ever through Blinkist) and then place related projects inside of them.

Action Steps

Action steps are, as mentioned, tasks. As with any capturing of tasks, you should make them as actionable as possible by starting off each of them with a verb. Since these are single action steps, they can be done without having to be broken down any further. In Todoist, you can add labels to these if you’d like (to act as contexts), but labels are going to be your best friend for the next component of the Action Method.

References

References are items that are directly related to projects, but aren’t actionable. In order to differentiate these from action steps, it’s best to label then in Todoist with the label “@reference” or something similar. Since todoist allows you to have multiple labels per action step, you’ll be able to assign context to references as well. The key to making sure that references are useful in the Action Method approach is to assign them to projects as you enter them.

Backburner Items

Backburner items are items that are on hold, but might be something you’ll work on later. If you’re more accustomed to GTD, then these items would be much like the “Someday/Maybe” context. Mac os iso download. In Todoist, the best way to deal with backburner items is to create a big project and name it “Backburner” and then place any future action steps and references in it. Then when you’re ready to take those things off of the backburner, move them to the appropriate project. You can also create smaller projects within the Backburner project (as outlined above in the “Projects” section) so that you can bring entire projects off of the backburner as you’re ready to move forward with them.

The Action Method works well for a lot of people who are just beginning to explore task management because it is simple and scales well. Julien Smith has been a long time practitioner of the Action Method, and the approach is described in great detail in Scott Belsky’s Making Ideas Happen. If you’re a Todoist user and are looking for a productivity methodology that is simple to set up and doesn’t have a steep learning curve, then the Action Method is definitely worth a try.

Do you want ideas, insights, and information on how to craft your time in just one weekly email?

Then you want ATTN: sent to you.

ATTN: is a weekly digest from Productivityist that delivers a week's worth of content in a nice little package directly to your inbox. Just enter your email to subscribe.

Interested in productivity systems?

Humans aren’t always inherently productive. Chances are, every productive person you know has a system in place to help them stay focused on their tasks.

And that’s what productivity systems do.

They help you keep track of priorities so you can decide what to do and when to do it.

But what are productivity systems, and how can you choose the best one for you?

In this article, we’ll tell you exactly what productivity systems are. We’ll show you why they are essential and the seven types of productivity systems you can use.

We’ll also give you tips on picking the perfect productivity system for your business and highlight the best software to use in tandem with your system.

This Article Contains:

(Click on the link below to go to a section of your choice)

7 Types of Productivity Systems

Let’s jump in.

What Is A Productivity System?

Many people confuse the term productivity systemwith productivity software.

However, a productivity system is actually a set of guidelines, practices, or a productivity method that help people get work done.

It could be a simple method like a to-do list or something more complex like the Kanban approach.

While most organizations have structured productivity systems in place, they’re flexible and easily scalable to support expansion. You can also complement your productivity system with productivity software based on your organization’s needs.

Why Are Productivity Systems Important?

With several distractions out there today, remaining focused on tasks can be more challenging than ever. For example, text or social media notifications can quickly distract people.

Fortunately, using productivity systems can help you focus on work and minimize distractions.

A study conducted by the University of California found that when an individual is interrupted from a specific task, it takes an average of 23 minutes for them to get back on track.

So, if you’re continuously distracted at work, you could lose a lot of productive time.

And while being productive isn’t easy, it’s certainly a lot harder when you try to remain productive by yourself.

That’s why productivity systems are essential. They have methodologies to help you avoid streaks of unproductivity, maintain time management and execute everything you set out to do.

Todoist Download Pc

7 Types of Productivity Systems

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular productivity systems so you can decide on the best productivity system for your organization:

1. To-Do List

The to-do listis the most straightforward productivity system for prioritizing tasks. It requires minimal effort, and you can decide whether to use a manual or digital to-do list, like Todoist.

Many other productivity frameworks are based on the to-do list, and you can find several variations of the to-do list itself.

For example, the Ivy Lee method is a simple yet effective variation of the to-do list that helps people with goal setting and prioritization.

Here’s how you can start a to-do list:

Writing down all the tasks you have to complete on a piece of paper.
Sort the tasks according to priorities.
Start executing tasks one after the other.
Cross off completed tasks and keep adding new tasks to your list.

2. Getting Things Done (GTD)

Getting Things Done is a productivity system first introduced by David Allen.

The GTD workflow includes a five step process:

Capture – Write down everything that crosses your mind.
Clarify – Convert your thoughts into actionable items.
Organize – Prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance.
Reflect – Go through the task list to add/remove and adjust tasks.
Engage – Start executing your tasks one-by-one and complete them.

Sounds like a lot of work?

Well, the GTD system also has six Horizons of Focus to help you easily prioritize tasks.

The Horizon of Focus method breaks tasks down into six areas (or horizons):

Word 97. Microsoft Word 97: Microsoft Word is a fine word processor for producing documents to be shared or printed, with a wealth of print-based options for indexing, and producing table of contents. 1,746,000 recognized programs - 5,228,000 known versions - Software News.

Current actions.
Current projects.
Areas of focus and responsibilities.
1-2 year goals.
Long term visions.
Life goals.

Once you separate everything according to the Horizon of Focus, you’ll be able to prioritize and take action on tasks that need urgent attention while putting the rest off for later. This way, you can focus and clear out tasks one-by-one.

3. The Pomodoro Technique

Having trouble focusing on tasks for long periods?

The Pomodoro technique could be just the system for you!

Invented by Francesco Cirillo, Pomodoro is a productivity system that allows people to focus on tasks using short time sprints.

For example, you can work uninterrupted on a task for 25 minutes. The next step is to take a five or ten minute break before jumping into the next thing on your list.

You can also use different methods of the Pomodoro technique like time blocking. Time blocking allows you to focus on a single task during blocks of time broken into 30-90 minutes.

Using Pomodoro and time blocking techniques help minimize distractions and gives users more control over how their workday will go.

4. Zen to Done (ZTD)

Introduced by Leo Babauta, Zen to Done is a technique based on the GTD productivity system. It’s an excellent system for knowledge workers.

However, there are several notable differences between ZTD and the GTD system.

For example, GTD focuses on the productivity system’s effectiveness as a whole. In contrast, ZTD prioritizes personal development and improving one user habit at a time.

Another difference between ZTD and the GTD system is their approach to tasks.

ZTD also focuses more on clearing individual tasks, while GTD is designed to improve productivity by building a system. GTD focuses on completing everything, whereas ZTD breaks everything down to essential tasks and focuses on finishing those first.

This way, ZTD ensures you don’t get distracted through multitasking.

So, with Zen to Done, you’ll be working on completing around threeMITs (Most Important Tasks) per day.

Here’s a breakdown of how ZTD works:

Write your ideas and daily task list in a notepad or notebook (this will be called your inbox.)
Take quick decisions regarding items in your inbox without delays.
Set MITs every day.
Complete one task at a time without distractions.
Keep your to-do lists simple and update them daily with new and recurring tasks.
The next step is to keep everything in its proper place.
Conduct a weekly review of your system and goals.
Simplify each goal and task — reduce them to essentials.
Stick to routines.
Do work that you’re passionate about.

5. Kanban

Kanbanis a productivity system developed by Toyota to achieve greater efficiency during manufacturing.

However, thanks to the Agile framework, many other fields like software development and healthcare use Kanban to improve productivity too.

How does Kanbanwork?

You can use a digital platform like Trello or Jira, or even a whiteboard and sticky note collection as a personal kanban board.

Write down all your tasks and insert them into categories like:

To-do
Work-in-Progress
In Review
Completed

You can add or reduce the number of categories to suit your business, but the core principle lies in giving you an overview of the current state of tasks. This way, you’ll know which tasks to prioritize and complete — so you can reduce the number of tasks in progress.

6. Don’t Break the Chain

Don’t break the chain is a simple system introduced by Jerry Seinfeld. It’s a great personal productivity system for individuals in creative occupations to be more systematic in their work.

Here’s how it works:

Get a calendar.
Decide on a daily goal.
Mark an X over every day you accomplish your goal.

For example, let’s say you’re a freelance writer, and you aim to deliver one article every day of the year. For each day you finish a piece, mark an X on the calendar.

Eventually, you’ll end up with a chain of Xs. Then, all you have to do is not break that chain and carry on the Xs to the next day.

However, it’s normal to miss your goals and due dates sometimes. So, remember to plan for these lapses and accommodate occasional breaks into your schedule.

7. Eat The Frog

Eat the frog is a system introduced by Brian Tracy, and it simply gets people to tackle their most important tasks first.

Here’s a simple breakdown of the Eat the Frog method:

Identify Your Frog – Figure out your most challenging tasks for the day.
Eat The Frog – The next step is to complete the most challenging or important tasks first.
Repeat Daily – Continuously finishing up the most important task first will give you more time to deal with other smaller tasks.

This can help you reduce procrastination and improve your general mood since you deal with the most demanding tasks first. It’ll also help improve your work quality because you handle critical tasks when you have high energy levels.

How To Choose A Suitable Productivity System

We’ve looked at seven popular productivity systems, but choosing just one out of all these different systems could be challenging.

You can’t know what’s right for you without trying them out, right?

Well, that’s exactly what you have to do.

Just pick a system that you think will fit your needs without dwelling on its pros and cons.

Once you choose a system, try it out for at least 30 days. This is important because you need adequate time to figure out all the pros and cons of implementing the system.

Once you complete the first 30 days, you can decide whether to continue with your current system or move on to another productivity system.

However, remember that your business is different from every other firm. So if you want the best productivity levels — you’ll have to customize your productivity system to fit your business needs’.

Choosing The Best Software To Complement Your Productivity System

Would your business’ productivity levels suddenly increase after implementing a good productivity system?

Not really.

You need to complement your productivity system with powerful productivity management software. Productivity software can help keep your employees motivated and focused on work while also providing you with critical information to assess personal productivity levels.

And if you’re looking for a productivity software that’s easy to use, affordable, and packs a ton of features, Time Doctor could be perfect for you.

What is Time Doctor?

Time Doctor is a powerful time tracking and employee productivity management software that’s incredibly user-friendly. From large firms, like Verizon and Ericsson, to SMBs, like Thrive Market, companies and teams use Time Doctor to stay motivated throughout their workday.

With Time Doctor, you can:

Track how long employees spend on work.
Help your team stay focused at work through idle prevention.
Access real-time productivity reports.
Easily integrate with any other productivity tool to increase functionality.
Manage your payroll directly through the app.
Use the Time Doctor Chrome extension to track time over several apps with ease.

Now, let’s take a quick look at some of Time Doctor’s best features:

1. Simple and Easy Time Tracking

Most people detest time trackers because they’re so complicated to use.

But that’s not the case with Time Doctor.

Time Doctor has a simple time tracking feature that can help users record work hours without any issues.

If your firm is using the manual/interactive time tracking mode, all a user has to do is:

Open Time Doctor.
Type in the task.
Start the timer.

Time Doctor will then run in the background keeping track of the user’s computer usage. Once the user finishes the task, a single click on the Stop button will stop the timer.

Note: If you want automation in your time tracking option, Time Doctor has an automatic time tracking mode that tracks time whenever the computer is turned on.

2. Reduce Distractions and Idle Time

Are you concerned about employee idle times?

With Time Doctor, you can measure your employees’ idle times down to the second.

Time Doctor can track idle time in idle seconds and idle minutes.

An idle second is one second without any keyboard and mouse activity, while an idle minute is one whole minute without any activity.

You can use this idle time tracker to see if employees perform at their best or need help with being more productive at work. This feature can also prevent employees from intentionally wasting their time on social media.

Note:Time Doctor isn’t a keylogger — it only checks if any buttons were pressed to detect inactivity. It doesn’t store any keystrokes and mouse clicks.

3. Generate Productivity Reports in Real-Time

Time Doctor features several productivity reports that can help quickly analyze how productive your employees are in real-time.

Here are the reports you can access with Time Doctor:

Activity Summary Report – Shows a summary of all productive and unproductive hours, including mobile time for each user.
Hours Tracked Report – Shows the billable hours tracked by an employee.
Projects & Tasks Report – Displays the time spent on specific projects and tasks.
Timeline Report – Shows the tasks and breaks logged by a user in chronological order.
Web & App Usage Report – Displays all sites and apps used by employees during work hours.

Want to know how you can use these reports to measure your team’s performance?

Read our guide on measuring performance with productivity reports.

4. Powerful Integrations

With Time Doctor, you can integrate many productivity tools to streamline your workflow.

You can integrate with apps like Asana, Jira, and ClickUp and track productivity levels across these apps too. Time Doctor. Time Doctor also integrates with tools like Zendesk to help you manage helpdesk activities.

Todoist Online

Wrap Up

There are different productivity systems and productivity tips that can help you improve workplace productivity.

However, there is no right productivity system that fits every business. The critical part is figuring out which one suits your requirements best.

Try out a new productivity system, make tweaks according to your needs, and stick with it if it gives you the desired results. If you don’t think it’s a good system, you can always try out another system.

Remember to pair up your productivity system with a tool like Time Doctor, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving maximum productivity!

Get more stuff like this
In your Inbox

Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff on remote working and productivity to your email inbox

we respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously.

Todoist Website

Liam Martin is a co-founder of Time Doctor—a time tracking and productivity monitoring software designed for tracking hours and productivity of remote teams.