The Worst

Several careers ago, I had a commute.  The company I worked for bought a bunch of tapes about various business topics that we could check out.  When we returned them, we were supposed to write a paper about what we learned.  I don’t remember what benefit we got from the exercise besides learning stuff.  I listened to a lot of them because I’m that person.

It's been about a zillion years since those days, so I can’t tell you who the particular time management guru was who taught me the concept of Worst First, but I am thankful to them all the same.  It has been useful far beyond that job.

 

Here’s the gist.  When we look at the list of things we need to accomplish, one way to help us get them done is to do the most awful one first.  This avoids that procrastination thing where we spend all day doing anything we can to skip that one.  Once the horrible thing is over, the rest of the day seems lighter and better, like walking downhill instead of up.

 

I mention this because for many of us, working out is that horrible thing.  If we do it first thing in the morning, it’s done and we’re free of it and the worry about it for the whole rest of the day.  Putting it off until the evening just gives us a chance to think of all the reasons why we really shouldn’t have to do it at all.

 

In a perfect world, working out would not be horrible.  But I get it that it can be.  If it is, get it over with and then get on with life!