knitwitrosie - I would work on the first project that has the earliest deadline! It won't be fun when you're too close to that deadline and you don't have time (because you spent working on other projects before it). Those other projects could be your rewards for finishing the deadline one(s). Having a longarm quilting business, I deal with deadlines all the time and that keeps me on schedule with customers' quilts!
When I'm not motivated to sew/quilt on my own projects this is what I do....(WARNING! - what I'm about to share may shock some people here!)
When I'm unmotivated, I tidy up my quilting area! Yes I do! I put things back where they go (fabrics, pins, rulers, etc) and bag up unwanted things that need to leave the house (scraps, old magazines, trash,). I vacuum (it always needs it with threads and such) and dust. I love to be organized and hate looking for things.
If I'm not energized and ready to sew/quilt when I'm finished with that, I may even iron some prewashed fabric!
Within a couple of hours of doing these tasks, I'm tired of doing them and stop. BUT my sewing/quilting areas are now 'very pleasing to the eye'! Everything is in it's place and easy to find, the floor is clean and I even have some new washed and ironed fabric ready to be cut if I decide to use it. (Did you ever not use a fabric for the simple reason that it had to be washed and/or ironed?)
Motivation returns and I'm in my happy place once again! I'm able to get so much more done. In my opinion, quilters should never make one list of all the projects they have to do...it's too intimidating! They won't know where to start!
Good Luck!
Nan - Indiana