Do Your Hardest Task First Thing in the Morning

The Problem

You do easy tasks first, then struggle with the hard one by afternoon when you're exhausted.

The Hack

Identify your most important or most dreaded task. Do it first thing, before email, before meetings, before anything. Brian Tracy calls this 'eating the frog.'

Why It Works

Willpower is a finite resource that depletes throughout the day. Morning is when you have the most. Tackling the hardest task first uses peak resources on the highest-impact work.

Pro Tips

• If it's your job to eat a frog, do it first thing — Mark Twain
• Before checking email — email is other people's priorities
• Even 60-90 minutes of focused morning work transforms productivity
• The relief of completing the hard thing energizes the rest of your day