# Which would you do first: computer work or housework? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 22, 2015, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335 "2015-02-22T11:14:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/1 "2015-02-22T11:14:18Z")
I’ve got some independent contracting work to do on my computer (stuff I do regularly, and know how to do from long experience). It’s not due for a few days, so I’m going to work on it about an hour a night from now until the deadline. I also have a sinkful of dishes I need to wash that have been soaking for a while now. This will take much less than an hour, but c’mon, dishes. Both will get done, but which would you tend to do first? I ended up doing the former first, but I was curious where y’all’s priorities lie. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/2 "2015-02-22T17:21:34Z")
Revenue first. _Always_ revenue first. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/3 "2015-02-22T17:36:34Z")
I always do the one I’m dreading the most. Get it over with, then the rest seems less onerous. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/4 "2015-02-22T19:27:08Z")
I would do the housework first because I can’t concentrate when I’m in a cluttered environment. That, and dishes take, like, seven minutes to do, tops. Get that out of the way and then you can settle in to do your work. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/5 "2015-02-22T19:27:54Z")
If I get the job done I can buy new dishes. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/6 "2015-02-22T20:23:10Z")
I’d do the dishes first. I would have to, I wouldn’t be able to concentrate otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/7 "2015-02-22T20:30:56Z")
Dishes first. I HATE washing dishes – so I want to get them over with as soon as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/8 "2015-02-22T21:43:19Z")
I’d do a bit of each and swap back and forth till the dishes were done. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/9 "2015-02-22T22:57:19Z")
I hate computers so give me the dishes and dusting first. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/10 "2015-02-23T03:38:21Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > I always do the one I’m dreading the most. Get it over with, then the rest seems less onerous. I’m the opposite: Do what I enjoy first; the rest may never really need to be done. (Hasn’t worked for me yet, but I’m not giving up.) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/11 "2015-02-23T22:41:53Z")
Dishes first for two reasons. First, I hate leaving dirty dishes in the sink. Second, while doing the dishes I could do a lot of the computer work in my head, so that when I sit down at the computer it is typing, not creating. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2015, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/12 "2015-02-23T22:46:01Z")
I deal with this exact thing every day. I have to do the paid work first, or I end up paralyzing myself and doing neither. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/13 "2015-02-24T21:37:57Z")
Dishes. Your undone computer work won’t attract bugs. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/14 "2015-02-24T21:46:34Z")
I’d buy a dishwasher and spent the time saved wanking. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2015, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-would-you-do-first-computer-work-or-housework/713335/15 "2015-02-24T23:12:20Z")
computer work first, dishes after. You’ll only end up making more dishes while you work (snacks and drinks…) so do them all in one shot.