# Fresh or Fried

> A time management approach based on matching task complexity to your current brain energy level. When your brain is fresh (high energy), tackle complex, demanding tasks. When fried (low energy), switch to easy, routine tasks that require less cognitive effort.

- **URL:** https://www.atlassian.com/blog/productivity/time-management-strategies
- **Category:** Time Management Technique
- **Tags:** Energy Management, Task Matching, Cognitive Load
- **Updated:** 2026-04-04 22:53
- **Canonical page:** https://timetrack.works/vi/items/fresh-or-fried

## Details

## Overview

Fresh or Fried is a productivity technique that bases task selection on your current cognitive energy state.

## Core Principles

- **Fresh** - When your brainpower is at its peak, do the complex, demanding tasks that require deep thinking
- **Fried** - When your mental energy is depleted, do easy, routine tasks that require minimal cognitive effort

The technique encourages awareness of your own energy patterns and matching task difficulty to your current capacity rather than forcing through difficult work when exhausted.

---

_This Markdown mirror is generated by Ever Works for AI agents. The canonical HTML page is at https://timetrack.works/vi/items/fresh-or-fried._