There is research that confirms your intuition, but mostly because it taxes cognitive energy reserves. Even if you can do it quickly or time-box it, it leaves you less able to do hard things. Look for papers by Roy Baumeister, or the book he co-wrote, "Willpower".
You want to start by building cognitive reserves and then use them on something that requires it.
For me, that means working out at 6-7am. But, I think you need to figure it out for yourself.
Yeah that makes sense. I feel like I am most productive if I touch email twice a day.
Also attacking the hardest thing that I have to do between 9am - 11am seems to work well. I have more energy to get it done. Maybe that has to do with waking up at 7, who knows.
You want to start by building cognitive reserves and then use them on something that requires it.
For me, that means working out at 6-7am. But, I think you need to figure it out for yourself.