Do the Hard Things First: Why the Order of Events Matters [BEST OF]
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Jun 19, 2025
Learn why tackling the tough tasks first can turbocharge your productivity. Discover strategies to overcome procrastination and shift your mindset toward meaningful responsibilities. Unpack Covey's prioritization model to better manage your time and distractions. Gain insights from the 'Eat That Frog' approach, advocating for morning challenges to set a productive tone for the day. Shift your habits to focus on what truly matters for long-term success!
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insights INSIGHT
The Trap of Avoiding Hard Work
Avoiding hard work for quick wins is a common but harmful habit.
Procrastinating difficult tasks leads to bigger problems later that must be dealt with eventually.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Identify Your Hard Work
Identify the hard tasks you're ignoring and write them down.
Acknowledge them openly to stop postponing their completion.
insights INSIGHT
Order of Events Matters
Prioritize tasks that are urgent, important, and difficult first.
Doing difficult tasks later leads to postponement and poor quality work.
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This book, first published in 1989, outlines seven habits that are designed to help individuals become more effective in their personal and professional lives. The habits are grouped into three categories: Private Victory (habits 1-3), Public Victory (habits 4-6), and Renewal (habit 7). The habits include being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, putting first things first, thinking win-win, seeking first to understand and then to be understood, synergizing, and sharpening the saw. Covey emphasizes the importance of personal integrity, effective time management, empathetic communication, and continuous self-improvement[2][5][4].
Do the Hard Things First
Scott Allan
In 'Do the Hard Things First', Scott Allan provides strategies to break the habit of procrastination and master the art of doing difficult work. The book offers a step-by-step approach to understanding and overcoming procrastination, focusing on building confidence and self-discipline to achieve success in various areas of life.
Getting Things Done
David Allen
Getting Things Done (GTD) is a personal productivity system developed by David Allen. The book provides a detailed methodology for managing tasks, projects, and information, emphasizing the importance of capturing all tasks and ideas, clarifying their meaning, organizing them into actionable lists, reviewing the system regularly, and engaging in the tasks. The GTD method is designed to reduce stress and increase productivity by externalizing tasks and using a trusted system to manage them. The book is divided into three parts, covering the overview of the system, its implementation, and the deeper benefits of integrating GTD into one's work and life[2][3][5].
The 5 AM Miracle
Dominate Your Day Before Breakfast
Jeff Sanders
The 5 AM Miracle is a self-help book focused on productivity and achieving goals. It emphasizes the importance of waking up early to maximize productivity and create positive habits. The book provides a structured approach to goal setting, time management, and personal development. It encourages readers to develop a consistent morning routine and prioritize their most important tasks. The book's practical strategies and motivational tone have made it a popular choice for those seeking to improve their productivity and achieve their goals.
Episode Summary
I discuss why doing the hard things first matters more than you can imagine.