Have you ever of heard the term eat the frog?
Basically, it means to do the one thing on your to-do list that you really don’t want to do. It could be that task that has been on your to-do list for months and is weighing on your mind all the time. Or maybe it has an upcoming deadline and you just need to make it happen.
Ignoring this “frog” will take up valuable space in your mind, and likely cause other side effects.
I’ll show you what I mean…
I love software. As a creative person, I’m still kind of geeky about technology. One of my favorite work tasks in my job is editing video. It allows me to be creative in a technical environment. When working on an exciting new project (more on this at the bottom of the post), I discovered that the playback was really choppy. In my imported videos, the audio wasn’t syncing with the video tracks. Even the native clips in quicktime were off. I went through all the diagnostic steps. Not just once, but over and over again. I went to forums and tried every trick in the book. I contemplated biting the bullet and buying a new mac. The newest version of the software won’t work with my configuration.
Then, I thought about a suggestion from my daughter-in-law to try a different video editing software. I was so hesitant because it would mean learning new keyboard commands, a new work flow, new export settings, etc… Most of all, this wasn’t a side hustle, this was a paying gig for one of my longtime clients. I was wasting so much time troubleshooting and agonizing about this struggle, that I finally decided to swallow the frog.
I downloaded the new software, loaded it up, uploaded a test clip, and boom! I did a quick edit, exported it (so fast), and sat back to watch the same or better quality than my previous software. I’ve lost some time with the learning curve but I’m slowly feeling more comfortable with this whole new editing process. I now love it! The time I’m saving with quality, and the rendering speed is so worth it.
- Sometimes it is better to replace the old tire, than to keep patching it up every day.
- Maybe you have a bunch of easy, small tasks instead of this one big one.
Where to go from here
Well again, let’s just check them off of the list. If you can get 5 quick and easy things out of the way, you’ll feel lighter and so will your to-do list! You’ll even start the day off on the right foot and continue that productivity level through your day. That’s why so many people make their beds first thing in the morning.
Navy Admiral Seal William H. McCraven said that making your bed first thing every morning can be life-changing. He believes that the productivity that you feel from doing a small, simple task will motivate you to continue to do productive tasks through your day.
So whether you decide to make your bed each morning, or check off a simple task from your list, you’ll be creating a good habit to keep yourself productive!
Good luck on your journey. We know you can do it!
Fruit of our labor
If you’re interested in the new vlog and podcast I mentioned earlier they can be found here:
Planet of the Associations