Start with the difficult work and save the easy tasks for later. This helps you manage your time wisely. Difficult tasks often yield the most when you look further ahead. By doing these tasks first, you use your energy for what is truly important. This prevents you from procrastinating. Many people start their day with easy chores, like reading emails. This seems productive, but you don’t really make progress on the important matters.
It can be challenging to start with difficult work. However, this yields more. If you start with a challenging task in the morning, you are still fresh and clear-headed. This helps you achieve better results. After the difficult work, the easy tasks feel much lighter. This gives you a good feeling and more energy for the rest of the day.
The small tasks are also important, but tackle them smartly. Save them for moments when you get stuck with a difficult project. By doing small tasks all at once, you work faster. You can also strategically use small tasks when you have a very short deadline. Then it can actually help to start with the easy things. You feel better for a moment and get more motivation to continue working.
The most important thing is to organize your day in a way that you achieve the best results. This often works best by tackling the difficult tasks first.
Related:
- Do the right thing, in the right way, and at the right moment
- Link the desired behavior to a clear signal
- Most knowledge workers check their email within the first 30 minutes of the day
- Try to get four hours of concentrated work into a workday, and never more than six
- Allow small tasks to accumulate until you can efficiently complete them in batches
