Saving the Best Tasks for Last

I started drafting my wedding vows very early. Like, nine months in advance. I wasn’t planning on dong so. Inspiration struck one night, and I went with it.

But then, once I had those first bits, I left them untouched until three days before the wedding. They sat on my long list of tasks, clearly visible. So it wasn’t like I was ignoring them. Yet, somehow, I felt they’d turn out best at the end.

Unlike many other wedding planning tasks, writing my vows was also the one I looked forward to the most. No surprises there. Similarly, my fiancée and I decided to do a little introductory speech before our wedding dinner with relatively short notice. That, too, was something I happily dove into with mere days to spare.

Once I started, it was easy enough to finish these to-dos. But they were more than to-dos to me. A chance to make a mark in a way that suits me—through my writing. So it felt empowering to give them the time and attention they deserved but do so at a time when the results would feel fresh and “in the moment.”

Sometimes, you need to start with the coolest ask in order to find the courage to get going at all. But every now and then, you might want to leave the most interesting work for the end. It truly can be its own reward. Try saving the best tasks for last.