WEBVTT - Do the easiest part first

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,

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<v Speaker 1>This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's

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<v Speaker 1>tip is for when you are working through a big

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<v Speaker 1>project and are feeling stumped or unmotivated, go ahead and

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<v Speaker 1>do the easiest part first. It might not be much,

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<v Speaker 1>but it is something, and something tends to be better

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<v Speaker 1>than nothing. I write a lot, but even so, some

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<v Speaker 1>things are harder to write than others. I don't generally

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<v Speaker 1>have lots of time to just stare at a blank page.

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<v Speaker 1>So whenever something feels difficult, I need a strategy. Here's

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<v Speaker 1>what it is. I write the easiest or most obvious

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<v Speaker 1>part first. Maybe it's a book review where I know

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<v Speaker 1>I'm going to use one particularly wise quote and one

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<v Speaker 1>rather silly quote that the author included. Even if I

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<v Speaker 1>don't know how I am going to start the review,

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<v Speaker 1>I can write those two paragraphs. Then maybe something else

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<v Speaker 1>will occur to me, and now I've got at least

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<v Speaker 1>a quarter of the review done. Perhaps you've got a

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<v Speaker 1>big project going too. If things are seeming challenging, just

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<v Speaker 1>do whatever seems most doable. If you are doing employee

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<v Speaker 1>of valuations, there is probably some straightforward stuff about projects

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<v Speaker 1>and tenure and whatever else that you can put down.

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<v Speaker 1>If you are giving a presentation, maybe make the slide

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<v Speaker 1>that you know you are going to include. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>we're literally talking the slide with your bio and contact

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<v Speaker 1>information if that's what it takes, or the title. Hey,

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<v Speaker 1>now we're getting somewhere. I know. There's a school of

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<v Speaker 1>thought that says to eat that frog. That is, do

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<v Speaker 1>the most challenging or difficult part first, because everything else

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<v Speaker 1>will seem easy afterwards. There's definitely something to that. I

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<v Speaker 1>think people are generally better off starting their days with

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<v Speaker 1>challenging work or work that requires focus. That's because everyone

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<v Speaker 1>runs out of steam. But within that focused time that

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<v Speaker 1>you have carved out, if you find yourself just beating

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<v Speaker 1>your head against the wall and feeling frustrated, give yourself

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<v Speaker 1>the gift of doing something on this big project. Just

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<v Speaker 1>do the easiest part first. Once the easiest part is done,

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<v Speaker 1>you have something. It is almost always easier to turn

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<v Speaker 1>something into something more than to turn nothing into something.

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<v Speaker 1>As you are creating the easiest slide in that deck,

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<v Speaker 1>you will get an idea for another one, and then

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<v Speaker 1>you will remember that cute anecdote you wanted to tell

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<v Speaker 1>at the opening, and next thing you know, you are

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<v Speaker 1>pretty far into your project. Work creates its own momentum,

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<v Speaker 1>but you have to get that momentum going. So I

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<v Speaker 1>just copied down the quotes from the book I'm reviewing

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<v Speaker 1>that I plan to use with a book proposal. I

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<v Speaker 1>could just go ahead and fill in my bio. I

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<v Speaker 1>am pretty sure what my bio and headshot look like.

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<v Speaker 1>Then suddenly the rest of the project doesn't feel nearly

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<v Speaker 1>so overwhelming. Start with the easiest part, and sometimes the

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<v Speaker 1>harder parts become easier. You just have to get going.

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<v Speaker 1>In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and

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<v Speaker 1>here's to making the most of our time. Thanks for

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<v Speaker 1>listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback,

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<v Speaker 1>you can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com.

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<v Speaker 1>Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts

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<v Speaker 1>from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or

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