Worst Things First

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The last time I moved, I realized that my packing style mirrors my lifestyle. When I have something I dread doing, more times than not, I’ll tackle it first. (note my escape clause with “more times than not”…no one is perfect!).

I dreaded packing the kitchen….so many small, oddly shaped items. Do you put the toaster oven in a box or let the movers (oh, yes….movers are vital to my sanity, but more power to you if you don’t use them) carry it by itself? So I packed the kitchen first, then the bathroom (another hellish reserve of small items). After that, the rest seemed relatively easy.

When I have to make cold calls, I do them first. There’s no better feeling than to have your new calls for the day done by noon. Ok, maybe a few better feelings, but it’s still pretty terrific.

When I make broccoli for dinner, I eat it first, and it’s not because it’s the best thing on my plate! It gets it out of the way so I can enjoy everything else more.

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For years and years I exercised first thing in the morning. I think I did it because I was afraid of waking up enough and talking myself out of it. Now it’s so ingrained that I can shift the schedule around, and I know I’ll still have the discipline to do it, even if it’s 8:00 at night. But I established the habit when it was hardest by doing it first.

By getting the worst out of the way first, I convince myself that I can succeed at the project as a whole.  I have a feeling of accomplishment that boosts my confidence, rather than a feeling of dread of what’s to come. I’ve started out the day and/or the project doing something good for myself by facing the hardest part first.

What do you dread most in your day? Do you have a project you’ve been putting off? What is the thing you dread most about it? Try doing it first and getting it out of the way, and then come back here and tell me how you did.

 

2 Comments

  1. Annette on 27 September 2016 at 4:22 pm

    I do this every time. #WorstThingsFirst needs to be trending!



  2. Meg Bertini on 29 September 2016 at 2:17 am

    It’s tough to do, but it pays off :).