Do What Matters Most
In today’s fast-paced world, managing time effectively is a challenge many face. With the constant pressure to meet deadlines, juggle responsibilities, and maintain personal and professional balance, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Enter Do What Matters Most by Steve Shallenberger and Rob Shallenberger. Published in 2021, this book offers a roadmap for mastering time management through effective prioritization, helping you focus on what truly matters.
Whether you’re an executive aiming to refine your leadership skills, a professional seeking to elevate productivity, or simply someone looking for a structured approach to managing time, this book provides actionable strategies to transform your daily routine into a reflection of your core priorities. Let’s explore the key insights and methods from Do What Matters Most that can help you take control of your time and life.
The Importance of Prioritization
The Modern-Day Hustle: Why Prioritization is Key
Are you constantly battling an ever-growing to-do list? Do you often find yourself working late into the night, yet still feel like you’re barely keeping up? If so, you’re not alone. The modern hustle often leads to a sense of constant motion without meaningful progress. The key to overcoming this is mastering the art of prioritization.
Prioritization is not just about managing your day—it’s about excelling in every role you play, whether as an executive, a parent, or a friend. By focusing on what truly matters, you can turn chaotic days into controlled ones, where every task aligns with your ultimate life goals.
The Cockpit Analogy: Avoiding Task Overload
Imagine a U.S. Air Force pilot, mid-maneuver, suddenly faced with an unexpected alarm. Amidst a sea of buttons and switches, another jet blazes across his path, narrowly avoiding a collision by just 100 feet. This close call, caused by task saturation, highlights the dangers of trying to do too much at once.
In everyday professional life, we face our own version of cockpit overload. Overwhelming demands can cloud our ability to focus on what truly needs attention. Research cited by the authors reveals that 68% of managers struggle with identifying top priorities, and 80% lack a defined strategy for organizing their time.
The solution? The “do what matters most” method, which includes three fundamental habits:
- Drafting a Personal Vision: Envision your ideal self in each role you play.
- Setting Annual Goals: Define specific objectives for each aspect of your life.
- Weekly Planning: Prioritize and map out tasks for the week ahead.
By adopting these habits, you can cut through the clutter and focus on what’s truly important.
Evaluating and Mastering Priorities
Self-Assessment: Understanding Your Current Priorities
Amy, a senior director at American Express, found herself overwhelmed by growing responsibilities at work. Despite her career success, her personal relationships were suffering. It wasn’t until she attended a conference on “do what matters most” that she realized motivation alone wasn’t enough—she needed to reassess her priorities.
To genuinely transform your prioritization process, start by assessing yourself. One effective method is incorporating the “do what matters most” matrix into your daily routine. This strategy categorizes tasks into four groups based on their stress level and importance:
- High-Stress, High-Priority Tasks: Urgent and important (e.g., last-minute business trips).
- Low-Stress, High-Priority Tasks: Important but not urgent (e.g., planning ahead for meetings).
- High-Stress, Low-Priority Tasks: Urgent but not important (e.g., handling interruptions).
- Low-Stress, Low-Priority Tasks: Neither urgent nor important (e.g., routine admin tasks).
By categorizing your tasks, you can better understand where your time is going and where it should be going. Ideally, high-stress tasks should occupy only a quarter of your day, while low-stress, high-priority tasks should take up the majority of your time.
Creating a Personal Vision: Visualizing Your Ideal Self
Before you can effectively prioritize, you need a clear vision of who you want to be in each role you play. Think of it like building your dream home—you wouldn’t start without first envisioning what it will look like.
Key Insight: Form a personal vision for each role in your life.
Start by setting aside time for reflection. Identify the various roles you play, such as parent, partner, or professional, and choose five to seven that are most important to you. For each role, craft a vision statement in the present tense, such as “I am an inspiring leader who motivates my team to excel” or “I am living an active, healthy lifestyle.”
A well-crafted vision should excite and challenge you, pushing your boundaries and motivating you to align your daily actions with your broader goals.
Setting Measurable and Achievable Annual Goals
The Power of Specific, Measurable Goals
A poignant story in the book tells of a father who, overwhelmed by work, misses another family dinner. His young son, saving up to buy an hour of his father’s time, highlights the importance of prioritizing what truly matters.
Key Message: To enhance productivity and life satisfaction, set annual goals that are specific, measurable, and achievable.
Once you’ve defined your personal vision, turn these aspirations into actionable goals using the SMART criteria:
- Specific: Clearly define what you want to achieve.
- Measurable: Ensure the goal is quantifiable.
- Achievable: Set realistic targets.
- Relevant: Align with your broader life vision.
- Time-bound: Set a deadline.
For example, if your vision includes improving physical fitness, a SMART goal might be: “Achieve a resting heart rate of 66 beats per minute by August 31st.”
By making these goals visible and revisiting them regularly, you can ensure that your daily actions align with your broader objectives.
The Pre-Weekly Planning Method
The Importance of Pre-Weekly Planning
Just as a pilot meticulously prepares for a flight, effective weekly planning is essential for mastering your schedule. Pre-weekly planning helps you transition from abstract goals to actionable tasks.
Key Insight: Enhance effectiveness by adopting the pre-weekly planning tool.
Set aside time each week, preferably on Friday afternoon or during the weekend, to plan for the week ahead. Begin by reviewing your personal vision and annual goals, then contemplate the steps you can take in the upcoming week to advance these objectives. Assign specific times and dates for each task to ensure that your plans translate into action.
This method not only organizes your tasks but also ensures that your daily actions are consistently aligned with your long-term objectives.
Takeaways from the Book in Just 20 Words
“Prioritize what truly matters, align daily actions with life goals, and transform chaos into controlled, purpose-driven success.”
About the Authors
Steve Shallenberger is the founder and chairman of Becoming Your Best Global Leadership. With decades of experience in leadership training, Shallenberger has played a pivotal role in establishing the Stephen R. Covey Leadership Center. His co-author, Rob Shallenberger, serves as the CEO of the same organization. Rob combines his unique experiences as an F-16 pilot and former Secret Service agent with his expertise in leadership coaching, bringing practical insights into effective time management and prioritization.
Conclusion
Do What Matters Most is more than just a guide to time management; it’s a blueprint for a life where every action is purposeful and aligned with your deepest values. By prioritizing what matters most, setting clear goals, and planning strategically, you can transform your daily routine from chaotic to controlled, ensuring that each day brings you closer to your ultimate life goals.
Whether you’re looking to enhance your productivity, refine your leadership skills, or simply manage your time more effectively, the strategies in this book offer a clear path to success. Embrace these habits, and watch as your life becomes a true reflection of your priorities.