Should You Start With the Easiest or the Hardest Task?

You know that task, the one that doesn't appeal to you, long and difficult, the one you feel like putting off? Should you start your day with that task? Or with the small, easy ones? The answer isn't that simple.

Eat the Frog: Starting With the Big, Harder Task

On one side, there's the "Eat the Frog" theory. Start your day by swallowing your frog, meaning tackling a heavier but important task first. Brian Tracy talks about this theory at length in his book Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time.

If you don't start with that first, you risk procrastinating and constantly pushing it back. Let's get it over with as early as possible.

And it's worth considering that early in the day, our energy is much higher, and so is our ability to focus. That makes it a great time to tackle big, complex tasks.

There's actually some interesting science behind this intuition. A study published in the journal Psychological Science, conducted by researchers Maryam Kouchaki (Harvard) and Isaac Smith (University of Utah), found that our capacity for self-control naturally declines over the course of the day, a phenomenon they named the "morning morality effect." Their research focused on ethical decision-making, but the underlying mechanism is the same one that affects your ability to focus on a demanding task: self-control is a limited resource that depletes as the day goes on, worn down by small decisions and resisted distractions. In other words, it's not just a feeling: your mental reserve in the morning is objectively not the same as it is at 4pm.

Completing a hard task is also incredibly freeing. It's a great feeling to start your day with.

The Benefits of Starting With Small Tasks

On the other side, there's the theory that you should start with the smallest tasks first, for several reasons.

1. It Builds Momentum

Starting with small tasks lets you shrink your list, relieve some pressure, and leaves you with enough energy left for the bigger tasks. Whereas starting with the hardest one drains your energy for everything else.

2. Finishing Tasks Gives Us a Positive Emotion

By doing easier tasks, you'll complete more of them. That feeling will motivate you and help you keep going. We all know that sense of wellbeing from finishing tasks and feeling like we're making progress.

That's not just a pleasant feeling, it's a documented mechanism. Research conducted by Professor Teresa Amabile of Harvard Business School, published in the Harvard Business Review and based on an analysis of nearly 12,000 work-diary entries written by 238 employees, identified what she calls the "progress principle": among all the events that can happen during a workday, the one with the single biggest positive effect on motivation and engagement is simply the feeling of making progress, even through small wins. Completing several small tasks triggers that sense of progress repeatedly throughout the same day.

That said, the feeling of completing a small task isn't as big as the feeling of completing a large, more complex one. In this case, we're talking more about the satisfaction of getting several things done. But we should remember that productivity means doing the right things, not doing more things.

3. Starting Small Gives You Momentum to Move Toward Bigger Things

It convinces your brain that taking action is easy. Michael Hyatt talks about this in his book Your Best Year Ever. Starting small allows you to tackle big projects and goals you might not otherwise be willing to start.

The Verdict

So what's the real answer? It depends. Both approaches are valid. The "Eat the Frog" theory is there to stop you from procrastinating on a specific task. Michael Hyatt's theory is there to get you moving on big projects and goals that feel too overwhelming to tackle head-on.

I believe that, as a general rule, most of the time, it's beneficial to start with the harder task first. The end of the day, when your energy has dropped significantly (as confirmed by research on self-control depletion over the course of the day), is not the time to start big, complex projects. So I think that's the right solution for the majority of cases. And on top of that, doing the most important thing first is essential, in my opinion.

That said, if you're starting a new project that feels enormous, or if at the start of your day you end up doing nothing at all because the first task looks too long or too hard, start with the small ones. Because that's better than doing nothing. Just make sure those small tasks are essential and important to do, not just easy tasks that lead nowhere.

We Have to Adapt and Pay Attention to Ourselves

It's worth remembering that time management isn't a magic formula. It's not a clear path we all have to follow the same way. We're all different, complex humans.

Your own energy rhythm throughout the day matters too. Some people genuinely feel more alert early in the morning, while others only hit their full focus potential later on. Observing your own energy pattern over a week or two, before settling on one method over another, can make all the difference between a technique that works and one that just frustrates you needlessly.

Personally, I try, most of the time, to do the big tasks first thing in the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you always start with the hardest task?

Not necessarily. It's often the best option, since energy and self-control are higher earlier in the day, but if it paralyzes you to the point of doing nothing, starting with small, essential tasks is still better than inaction.

Why does our focus decline over the course of the day?

Because self-control functions like a limited resource that depletes with every decision and resisted distraction accumulated since the morning.

Why do small wins motivate us so much?

Because simply feeling like we're making progress, even on a small task, has a measurable, immediate effect on our motivation and engagement, according to research in organizational psychology.

How do I know which approach is right for me?

Observe your own energy level over a week or two at different times of the day, and choose the approach that matches your actual rhythm rather than a general rule.

Talk soon!