“We don’t rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the level of our systems.”

Eat the frog first

You don’t need more time - you need better systems

Have you ever looked at someone chipping away at something you want to and thought, “Easy for them - they just have more time/ fewer kids / less demands than I do!”. Maybe they’re launching a business, learning a language, or writing a book while you’re still stuck at the “one day I would like to….” stage. It’s easy to believe someone has more hours in the day or fewer responsibilities when you see them accomplishing what you could only dream of.

But the truth is, they don’t have more time—they have better systems.

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, famously said, “We don’t rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the level of our systems.” Your ambitions might be genuine, but if your daily actions don’t support them, you’ll struggle to make progress. That’s why success isn’t about working harder; it’s about working smarter with repeatable, effective processes.

Systems are the frame-work that remove unnecessary thinking from the equation.  It’s why Steve Jobs famously wore the same black turtleneck everyday. It wasn’t for a fashion statement (say what?) but because he wanted to conserve all of his decision-making energy for those that truly mattered.  

The Myth of More Time

It’s tempting to think that high achievers have fewer distractions or more freedom, but in reality, they’ve built systems that make action easier.

 Brad Stulberg, author of The Practice of Groundedness, emphasizes that peak performers “don’t rely on motivation; they rely on structure.” When something is baked into your routine, it no longer requires willpower—it becomes automatic (like brushing your teeth before bed, or wearing a black turtleneck). 

Brad Meer, an executive coach and productivity expert, takes it further: “People who seem to have it all together aren’t avoiding challenges. They’re proactively designing their environment to make success inevitable.” They set up their lives so that taking action is the default choice, not a constant battle against distraction and doubt.

How to Build Better Systems

If you struggle to get started, it’s not a lack of discipline—it’s a lack of structure. Here are some tried and tested time dilation techniques. Test which ones work for you:

1. Time Blocking – Control Your Schedule, Don’t Let It Control You

• Cal Newport, author of Deep Work, says: “Time blocking works because it preserves your ability to focus.”

• Allocate specific time slots for tasks instead of working reactively. This helps prevent distractions and ensures deep focus.

2. The Two-Minute Rule – Win Small, Win Big

• David Allen, creator of Getting Things Done, advises: “If an action will take less than two minutes, it should be done at the moment it’s defined.”

• This stops small tasks from piling up and builds momentum by eliminating procrastination.

• If that email or text can be responded to quickly – action it and delete. Same for putting a plate in a dishwasher or a completing a form.

3. The Eisenhower Matrix – Prioritize Like a President

Dwight D. Eisenhower famously said: “What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important.”

Sort tasks into urgent/important categories to focus on long-term impact rather than daily distractions.

It’s tempting to give yourself temporary distraction by completing non-essentials off a “to-do” list, but was it important?

 4. The Pomodoro Technique – Work Smarter, Not Longer

• Francesco Cirillo, creator of the Pomodoro Technique, explains: “Short bursts of focus followed by breaks keep the mind fresh and engaged.”

• Work in 25-minute sprints with 5-minute breaks to sustain productivity without burnout.

• This is like a HIIT class for productivity.

5. The 80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle) – Do Less, Achieve More

• Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek, emphasizes: “Doing less is not being lazy. Don’t waste time on things that don’t matter.”

• Identify the 20% of tasks that generate 80% of results and focus energy there. For example, 5 key clients may yield 80% of your billing. Spend your spare energy to nurture those relationships.

 6. Task Batching – Stop Context Switching

• Johan Hari, in Stolen Focus says multi-tasking is actually a myth, and in fact we are ‘task-switching’.

• He refers to a small study at Hewlett Packard that showed the effects of being interrupted on one group of workers was a 10 point reduction in IQ compared with a group left to focus solely on one task (note – scientists estimate smoking marijuana reduces your IQ by 5 points).

• Avoid the switch-cost effect by grouping similar tasks (emails, meetings, deep work) together to minimize task-switching inefficiency.

7. Habit Stacking – Make Change Effortless

• James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, says: “The key to building lasting habits is to tie them to something you already do.”

• Attach new habits to existing ones (e.g., journal after morning coffee) to integrate them seamlessly. Since spending 20 minutes on DuoLingo in the early morning while walking my dogs, my French has improved dramatically vs trying to complete one lesson whenever I remember throughout the day or night.

8. Eat the Frog – Do the Hardest Thing First

• Brian Tracy, author of Eat That Frog, advises: “If you have to eat a frog, do it first thing in the morning.”

• Tackle your most important or difficult task early to eliminate procrastination.

9. Automations & Templates – Let Technology Work for You

• Brad Stulberg, author of The Practice of Groundedness, notes: “Reducing decision fatigue frees up mental space for what truly matters.”

• Use email filters, scheduling tools, and text templates to streamline repetitive tasks.

 The Shift That Changes Everything

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to start, the real problem isn’t time—it’s that you haven’t built the systems to make starting easy and maximise your time. High achievers aren’t fundamentally different from you; they’ve just designed their days so that progress happens automatically.

The good news? You can do the same. Start small, be consistent, and watch how your systems—not your motivation—carry you forward.