Key Messages
How To Prioritize And Stay Focused: A Guide To Life Management
Do you ever feel like there is just too much to do with not enough time? Are you overwhelmed by an overflowing to-do list and late nights trying to meet deadlines? If so, you’re not alone!
It’s hard to manage our own time, causing us to forget about what matters most.
Luckily, there is a solution that can help you stay on top of your daily tasks and make the most out of each day.
In the Do What Matters Most book, readers learn a simple process for prioritizing tasks in order to get the best results.
They will also discover why it’s important to develop a personal vision for all roles in life, as well as learn how to achieve annual goals using weekly planning tools.
With these methods, readers can finally get a handle on their workday and prioritize tasks that matter the most while maintaining balance in their lives.
Prioritizing Your Time In The Workplace: Learning From Pilots To Avoid Task Saturation
Managing your time more effectively and prioritizing what matters most is becoming increasingly important in the age of information overload, especially with working from home on top of other daily duties.
This concept was brought to light by a former US Air Force pilot who nearly collided with another jet during a routine mission.
The pilots were overwhelmed and unable to process all the signals coming in, creating an example of task saturation.
A similar situation can happen in our everyday lives and it’s essential that we learn to prioritize those tasks that matter most so as not to become overwhelmed by activity.
That’s where the “Do What Matters Most” method comes in, developed by one of the authors based loosely on how the Air Force manages flight operations.
The system is designed to help individuals set annual personal and professional goals and plan their week ahead so as to stay on track towards their vision.
These three practices are designed for individuals to be able to focus on the primary instruments — like airspeed or altitude – needed for staying afloat throughout each day.
Using The “Do What Matters Most” Matrix To Assess And Prioritize Your Activities For Increased Productivity
We all have goals and ambitions, but it’s important to make sure we’re not sacrificing our relationships in the pursuit of success.
This is a lesson Amy learned when attending an event featuring authors on the “do what matters most” principle.
What she learned is the importance of taking a step back and evaluating her current approach to her priorities.
A good way to start is by assessing where you currently stand – break down your daily activities into the “do what matters most” matrix.
According to the authors, this approach places each activity into one of four categories: high-stress high-priority activities (category 1), low-stress high-priority activities (category 2), urgent but not important activities (category 3), and not urgent, not important activities (category 4).
Ideally only 25% of your daily tasks should fall under category 1, while 70% should represent category 2, with the remaining 5-15% representing category 3 or 4.
While it can be tempting to gravitate towards unimportant activities, it’s critical that we understand their relative importance in order to boost performance and productivity without burning out.
By understanding which tasks require priority in our lives and planning ahead for them, as well as recognizing which tasks can wait for later, we can make sure we spend our time doing what really matters most!
Creating A Personal Vision: A Roadmap To Becoming The Best Version Of Yourself
Figuring out what matters most to you in life can be a daunting task.
But it doesn’t have to be.
One way to get familiar with your priorities is by forming a vision for each of your roles in life.
This process can help you focus on what’s important and achieve success in all that you do.
For starters, take some time to reflect on the questions: What would you like to have accomplished twenty years from now? What qualities do you admire most in others? What would you like to improve about your life or community? Answering these will give you greater insight into the direction you’d like your life to take.
Next, make a list of five to seven roles that consume your daily energy – whether it be as a parent or partner, manager or employee, or even self-focused activities such as keeping your body healthy and alive.
Once that list is complete, jot down specific visions for each role using present tense language so they become vivid mental realities.
This kind of writing should create an emotional response in you – both excitement and slight discomfort – because it reminds you that creating a vision is really just the beginning part of career and lifestyle success.
How To Achieve Your Goals: Setting Smart, Measurable And Achievable Objectives
If you’re looking for ways to be more efficient and productive when it comes to achieving your goals, setting annual goals that are measurable and achievable is key.
Rather than simply trying to focus on your goals without proper direction, having an effective plan for the year – with specific and achievable objectives – can ensure that you have a greater chance at success.
When forming your vision for each role in life, use the SMART acronym as a guide.
Your goals must be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
This way, your goals become tangible rather than hazy aspirations.
For example, if you want to achieve physical fitness by the end of the year then you should set a goal such as “Share a resting heart rate of 66 BPM by August 31st” so that you’ll always have something concrete to refer back to during moments of doubt or uncertainty.
Finally, make sure that you write down these goals on paper or even display them somewhere you can easily view every day like in front of your desk or bathroom mirror so that they can serve as regular reminders throughout the year – both consciously and subconsciously – of what you need to focus on throughout the next twelve months!
Pre-Week Planning: Spend Time Before Your Week Starts To Take Control Of Your Life
If you want to take control of your life, then pre-week planning is essential.
Having a daily to-do list or sticky notes can help, but they only scratch the surface.
Taking 20 to 45 minutes each week to plan will be a real game changer.
By taking that time each week before it starts, you’ll get the distance needed to see your bigger picture–your personal vision and goals.
Doing this each week will also help you prioritize better, turning vague ideas into clear action items that should be done.
Of course, it’s up for you what tool and format your pre-weekly planning will take–you don’t need a fancy setup.
What matters is that you set aside the time for yourself each week to make sure you’re staying on track with your goals and dreams.
Don’t leave it until Monday morning–schedule some quiet time at the end of every week and plan out your next one!
Developing A Personal Vision And Setting Goals Can Increase Productivity And Reduce Stress
John’s story demonstrates the importance of scheduling specific times for action items on your pre-week planning list.
When John joined the “do what matters most” workshop, he had a goal: to call his son.
He set a deadline and managed to find time in his schedule to make that call.
The authors guarantee that by using this scheduling technique, individuals can increase their productivity by up to 80 percent!
It’s important not just for individuals but also for teams to use goal setting and pre-week planning consistently.
As a team leader, you should invite each member of the team to practice these three principles: developing a personal vision; setting annual goals; and doing pre-week planning.
Once individuals have adopted these habits, leaders can set up an all-hands meeting every Monday morning where everyone can align their weekly plan accordingly.
By following this vision and scheduling clear priorities, you will become more productive in no time!
You will also experience less stress as you keep your plans updated and organized throughout the week.
So what are you waiting for? Start scheduling now –and watch your life transform!
Wrap Up
The Do What Matters Most book is all about boosting productivity and performance by learning how to prioritize the things that are most important.
It encourages readers to review their priorities every morning, set annual goals for each role they play in life, and schedule weekly activities that align with their goals to help improve chances of success.
By doing this, readers will be able to create a personal vision and start each day with clarity and focus on the tasks that matter most.
The ultimate takeaway from Do What Matters Most is that taking a few moments each morning to review your priorities will put you in the right mentality for the day ahead – enabling you to achieve success faster and more efficiently than before!
Making a quick assessment of what will move you closer towards achieving your goals makes good use of morning time and can lead to long-term results.
