Eat the frog, What does it mean?

I don't remember if it was elementary or middle school, but we once had a science class where we dissected frogs. Fortunately(?), none of my group members brought a frog, so I had to stand in the hallway as punishment for the entire class period.

As a woman, I find even the mention of frogs disgusting, yet today, when I opened a new tab in my web browser, this expression caught my attention. It piqued my curiosity, but also slightly turned my stomach.

Since searching in Korean on Google or Copilot would be like cheating, I'll use English to search and explore the meaning and backstory of this expression.

First, the meaning of "eat the frog" is as follows: In a day, we encounter various tasks, big and small. "Eat the frog" refers to a kind of productive skill where you tackle the most difficult or unpleasant tasks first. It's not simply prioritizing; the key is to grit your teeth and get the unpleasant tasks done first.

As for who first used this expression and where it appeared, websites offer various and conflicting opinions, so I won't discuss that here. Now, let's apply this to my life over the past few years.

I've been using Google Calendar for over 5 or 6 years now. Originally, I used a planner with monthly and weekly views to track my listening of the complete Bach cantatas. However, my eyesight worsened, my handwriting became increasingly illegible with age, and it became impossible to make the planner as beautiful as before. More importantly, my house is small, and I didn't have enough space to store all those planners neatly. So, I searched for an online scheduling tool and chose Google Calendar, which I've been using effectively ever since.

My daily routine, with 30-minute intervals, is relatively simple. Looking back at my daily tasks, I've been practicing "eat the frog" every day. I usually tackle the most unpleasant and unavoidable tasks in the morning. This leaves my afternoons relatively free and relaxed.

Of course, there's no joy or gratitude in the process of doing things I dread. But since I've set a 30-minute limit, I go all out within that time. And I mentally reward myself with something like a morning coffee. Knowing that I'll get to drink that coffee motivates me to complete my daily tasks.

And since most of my work involves sitting at my desk and using my brain, it feels much better than working hard and physically demanding jobs to earn money. It seems there are no easy tasks or freebies in this world.

It's 1:30 PM on Wednesday, February 26th. I've successfully "eaten the frog" today, and I'm now leisurely writing this post.

It's almost been a month since I joined durumis. Looking at my total number of posts, I've managed to maintain a daily posting schedule quite well. Unlike my time writing on Brunch Story, I feel much less pressure, making this possible. Honestly, writing isn't easy, but I find it surprisingly manageable. For this talent, I am eternally grateful to God.

Through consistent writing, I experience daily benefits in my spiritual state and faith. I've started and stopped various blogs in the past, but by consistently writing on durumis, I feel like I've finally created my own comfortable online sanctuary.

As I mentioned yesterday, it's impossible to predict how Cyworld might evolve if it were revived, but whether I use Cyworld again or not, I want to continue this current pattern. I hope this place will become a great asset and legacy for me in the future.