Lessons in Adaptability as a Severe Type A Girlie

On Monday mornings, my team at work gathers for a mini huddle where we talk about our top 3 priorities for the week. On a recent call, I joked about how I had three very clear, deadline driven priorities and I was absolutely, 100% going to focus on them even though I had a bunch of small little tasks on my mind as well. “I’m not going to let myself get distracted by anything else.”

Reader, I got distracted.

Immediately after my morning meetings, I proceeded to work through all my simple tasks and man did it feel good to build some momentum and cross things off my list. 

It runs directly counter to advice an old manager had given once about “eating the frog first.” This was in reference to doing the toughest, most dreaded task first thing in the day. 

A staunch morning person, sometimes—often—I agree with that. And certainly, as I ran through my bullet points that morning, I did mean it as well. I was going to eat my three big frogs.

But as my late morning and early afternoon unfolded before me, I realized I needed to get the noise of those baby tasks out of my way. I needed to let myself get distracted so I could focus. 

The next morning, when my brain felt clearer and more energized, I was able to sit down and crank through frogs. 

And I wondered then, if trying to force myself to do things a prescribed way would have been a disservice to myself. It sounds like a good idea—focus on the most important things first. But sometimes you can’t. In breaking from what I thought was the “right way” to do something, I actually found something much better for myself, my brain, and my to-do list.

Be faithful in yourself. Learn to trust your energy. Be unafraid to adapt to the moment. Know that your advice, your methods, your own personal best practice can change week to week, day to day, hour to hour.

Sometimes we eat our frogs. And sometimes we place them on a flower and ready ourselves for the feast yet to come.