Lifehacker: The Guide to Working Smarter, Faster, and Better, Third Edition

Hack 26: Set Up a Morning Dash

Level Easy

Platform All

Cost Free

You love the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment you feel when you check off an item on your to-do list as done, completed, out the door, in the can. But so many things can keep you from getting to that moment, from unexpected emergencies to long and dragged-out meetings to getting waylaid by a conversation with a co-worker in the hallway.

Although those spontaneous gear shifts are necessary and will inevitably happen, there is one way to ensure that you’ll knock at least one task off your list: dedicate the first hour of your day to your most important task — before you check your email, listen to your voicemail, or go to any meetings.

Get One Thing Done First

Author of Never Check Email in the Morning Julie Morgenstern suggests spending the first hour of your workday email-free. Choose one task — even a small one — and tackle it first thing. Accomplishing something out of the gate sets the tone for the rest of your day and guarantees that no matter how many fires you’re tasked with putting out once you’ve opened your email client, you still can say that you got something done. When you’re open for business and paying attention to incoming requests, it’s too easy to get swept away into the craziness. So get your day started off on the right foot, with just one thing done.

Morgenstern writes, “Change the rhythm of the workday by starting out with your own drumbeat.... When you devote your first hour to concentrated ...