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2:15 pm
April 26, 2011
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Buck Inspire
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Hey all,
If you have a bunch of tasks to do, how do you tackle them? Low hanging fruit, work you way up to the toughest cookie? Take out the hardest item first, rest easier, and go down hill from there?
Buck 
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2:27 pm
April 26, 2011
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Suba @ Wealth Informatics
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Depends on what motivates "you". If seeing a shrinking to do list makes you more happier and motivates you to work more, then that is what will work… If finishing the toughest job boosts your ego and makes you a super man :) that does the trick.
I don't think there is just one ideal way that will be suitable for everyone. I personally work based on Priority and then easier type sorting.
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2:53 pm
April 26, 2011
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Buck Inspire
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Thanks for the thoughtful answer Suba! I was knocking out the low hanging fruit. Now I have to suck it up and crack the tougher cookie. 
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5:24 pm
April 26, 2011
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FamilyMoneyValues
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Project plan with target dates works for me…. but then I am a PMP and worked projects for 25 years so I may be biased.
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8:22 pm
April 26, 2011
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sooverthis
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As a chronic procrastinator, I go for the task with the fastest-approaching deadline, the greatest benefit, and/or the scariest consequence for noncompletion. So in other words, it depends. :)
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8:59 pm
April 26, 2011
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JT_McGee
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I do the hardest things first.
I used to do the easy things first, but I found out that at the end of the day I was "tired" after having done the easiest things, and didn't want to do the hard things. I look at it a little like eating; after a certain amount of time eating, you're full–it doesn't matter how much you actually eat, just how long. Same thing with work, it doesn't matter how much you work, just how long you work that makes you tired.
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9:31 pm
April 26, 2011
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My Personal Finance Journey
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I save the easy things to do when I am tired or do not have a lot of time between tasks. I try to tackle the hard things towards the beginning of the day
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10:08 pm
April 26, 2011
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Buck Inspire
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Post edited 10:09 pm – April 26, 2011 by Buck Inspire
When I was younger, I thought project managers didn't really do work. No offense.  Now that I am a little wiser, I can appreciate PMs more. If we only knew then what we know now… Maybe I should approach my tasks as mini projects as well.
FamilyMoneyValues said:
Project plan with target dates works for me…. but then I am a PMP and worked projects for 25 years so I may be biased.
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10:10 pm
April 26, 2011
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Buck Inspire
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Thanks for the feedback. I think I was attacking on the easy stuff. When the hard stuff was the only thing left, I started to try and find more easy stuff. I think I'll going to flip things around and see how it goes. In the end, when I hit the hard stuff it wasn't that bad at all. All in my head. If I hit it earlier, my day would be less stressed and more free to hit the easy stuff even better.
sooverdebt said:
As a chronic procrastinator, I go for the task with the fastest-approaching deadline, the greatest benefit, and/or the scariest consequence for noncompletion. So in other words, it depends. :)
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10:11 pm
April 26, 2011
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Buck Inspire
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Thanks JT. Like I said earlier, I think I am going to flip things around and see how it goes!
JT_McGee said:
I do the hardest things first.
I used to do the easy things first, but I found out that at the end of the day I was "tired" after having done the easiest things, and didn't want to do the hard things. I look at it a little like eating; after a certain amount of time eating, you're full–it doesn't matter how much you actually eat, just how long. Same thing with work, it doesn't matter how much you work, just how long you work that makes you tired.
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10:12 pm
April 26, 2011
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Buck Inspire
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Sounds like a plan. I'm going to give this a try!
My Personal Finance Journey said:
I save the easy things to do when I am tired or do not have a lot of time between tasks. I try to tackle the hard things towards the beginning of the day
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3:50 am
April 27, 2011
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Derek@LifeAndMyFinances
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I'd say it depends more on importance AND whether I really want to do it or not. Obviously, I tackle the more important stuff first, because that will reap the rewards. If I also have something that I really don't want to do, I'll try to move that up on the list as well. I'd rather save the things that I want to do for the end so that I stay focused and motivated, even hours into my work.
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5:10 am
April 27, 2011
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The Financial Blogger
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I reward myself BEFORE doing anything hard ;-)
so I go on my Playstation before doing my hardest task for example. It puts me in a good mood and then, I don't see the task as a chore anymore ;-)
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5:11 am
April 27, 2011
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The Financial Blogger
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oh…and I prefer to classify my taks in 2 different categories:
#1 value added
#2 necessity
I try to do all the value added and outsource all the tasks that need to be done but doesn't create any value to my blog (like tracking my ads for example). This help me focus on what really matters and what I am good at.
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9:42 am
April 27, 2011
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Sustainable PF
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hard -> easy
must do now -> can wait a bit
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1:44 pm
April 27, 2011
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retireby40
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Like Sustainable PF, I do the things that has time constraint first. After that, maybe I do things that takes the shortest amount time first. :)
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4:14 pm
April 27, 2011
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AshleyB
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I do the easy stuff first, having a to do list that is too long stresses me out and I wouldn't be able to concentrate on the problem. If I've cleaned up the list then I can sit down and focus. Besides, then you have no excuse. You have to get to it.
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5:44 pm
April 27, 2011
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.
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I always do the easiest tasks first.
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12:48 am
April 28, 2011
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Buy Like Buffett
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I complete the hardest jobs first.
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5:38 am
April 28, 2011
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Jackie
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I often do the easiest tasks first, although it depends on how motivated I am. (Or I guess how badly I've been procrastinating!)
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