Productivity Technique Face-off: "Eat the Frog" Method vs. Get the Low-Hanging Fruit First:

Returning from a long break can be a bit overwhelming, especially when you find yourself faced with a lot of emails waiting for your attention. It's natural to feel a bit lost about where to even start with so much to catch up on and so many tasks demanding your time and energy. In essence, you'll have to accomplish a lot in a very short time, meaning you need to be super productive.

I found myself in this situation after being on leave for three weeks. But guess what? It gave me the perfect opportunity to practice my productivity tips and try out new ones.

Thankfully, there are some strategies that people have suggested over time to help manage this situation more effectively. These strategies aim to streamline your workflow, prioritize tasks, and ultimately increase productivity. When you've been away for a while, every minute counts in catching up and getting back on track, so it's essential to find a method that works best for you.

Let's talk about two productive ways to tackle this:

1. The "Eat the Frog" Method:

This way says to do the hardest or most boring stuff first. It's like biting into a frog – not fun, but it gets the tough part done early. It can make you feel good to finish hard tasks and make it easier to do the rest.

Pros:

• You feel proud when you finish hard stuff.

• It helps you focus on the big jobs first.

• It can lead to better results in the end.

Cons:

• Doing hard things first might make you tired.

• You might feel less motivated if you don't see quick results.

• You might ignore small tasks that are still important.

2. Getting the Low-Hanging Fruit First:

This way says to do the easy stuff first. It's like picking the fruit that's easy to reach – quick and satisfying. It can give you a sense of progress and make you feel good about starting.

Pros:

• You feel good when you finish easy tasks.

• It clears the way for bigger tasks later.

• It keeps you motivated to keep going.

Cons:

• You might ignore important tasks that aren't easy.

• You might get stuck doing small things and forget the big picture.

• It might delay doing harder tasks that need more time.

Ultimately, the choice between these methods depends on individual preferences and the specific demands of the situation at hand. Both approaches have their merits and drawbacks, so it's essential to experiment and find what works best for you. Whether you prefer to tackle the biggest challenges head-on or start with small wins to build momentum, the goal is the same: to efficiently manage your workload and stay productive, even after a long break.