The expression “Eat the frog” is a metaphorical saying that says that you should eat a live frog first thing every morning, because then you’ll know that this is probably the worst thing that could happen to you that day. The concept is about procrastination and putting of what needs to be done.

Here are 5 things you should consider for increasing your productivity:

1. Decide what you want to accomplish.

You have to decide exactly what you want to accomplish, and if possible, in every area of your life. How would you know where to go, if you don’t know where you’re going? Clarity is a strong key word for getting things done.

The most important thing is to write down what you think. Think everything on paper. Only about 2-3% of adults have their goals written down on paper, and they accomplish and finish ten times as much as the people who haven’t.

2. Set deadlines

A goal without a deadline has no beginning or end. If you set goals without a deadline, the chances of procrastination will remain big. You need to create a sense of urgency, and of course follow the deadlines.

Break up a large deadline into many small. If you need to write a 50 page report, don’t just set a deadline for the report. Divide it into daily goals. For example, if it needs to be done in 10 days, set a goal to write 5 pages per day.

3. Apply the Pareto Principle (or 80/20 rule)

The 80/20 rule is almost a divine rule for people who work in sales and marketing. It says that 20% of your activities will account for 80% of your results. So ask yourself what those 20% are, and swallow that frog!

Not applying that rule means that you will be one of those who is extremely busy every day, but you will accomplish very little. Learn how to figure out what has the most value.

4. Plan every single day in advance

You will save lots of time if you plan the next day in advance. Just a couple of minutes of planning could save you hours of work. Make a list of what needs to be done, and then do it.

For even better productivity, make a list for the year, divide it into months, and then into days. Plan everything a week in advance.

5. Take action!

Start working, take action, do something. Execution is the key to success. Sometimes this is a hard step to take, but think of it like a train. When it starts, it takes a long time to gain momentum, and it’s moving really slow. But as it gains speed, it becomes harder and harder to stop. That’s what you need to do. Be like a train, gain momentum, and become unstoppable!