I’m a sucker for a well-researched book, especially when that book is on the topic of learning effectively.
My guest today wrote a book you may have heard of. It’s the Wall Street Journal bestseller called Ultralearning. It’s a book that I often recommend to students of my Note-Making Mastery course.
Scott says that when we’re able to learn from the example of other people, practice extensively ourselves, and get reliable feedback, rapid progress results.
Yet, when one, or all, of these factors is inhibited, improvement often becomes impossible. Using research and real-life examples, Scott breaks down these elements into twelve simple maxims.
Whether you’re a student studying for an exam, an employee facing a new skill at work, or just want to get better at something you’re interested in, Scott’s insights will help you do it better.
I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Scott and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.
There’s productivity. There’s time management. And then there’s managing priorities.
We often lump managing priorities in with these other areas but, in reality, effectively managing priorities is a discipline all to itself and one that, frankly, is rarely—if ever—approached holistically.
Managing Priorities is your guide to prioritizing anything—anytime and anywhere.
Harry digs into the best practices for prioritization at Apple, DreamWorks, NASA, Adobe, Google, Microsoft, and beyond, and brings them together in a single, practical method that you can apply step by step.
Every business person who is even remotely interested in prioritization should read this book.
Whatever you need to prioritize—tasks, goals, OKRs, projects—this book is for you. Specific chapters are dedicated to what needs to happen and when for individuals, teams, and whole organizations.
I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Harry and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.
I mean it when I say that today’s guest is easily one of my favorite authors in the world.
But even more important than that, he’s become one of my friends and one of my mentors (AND, one of my favorite people on the planet).
I’m talking of course about New York Times bestselling author Dan Miller. Dan is keeping his promise of updating – every five years – the book that started it all.
Managing priorities is more than just making a to-do list. It’s about understanding what truly matters, making strategic decisions, and effectively allocating your time and resources.
So, let’s dive right in!
1: Understanding Priorities
First things first, what exactly are priorities? Priorities are tasks or activities that are more important than others and need your immediate attention. They’re the things that will move the needle in your life or business.
You already knew that, right?
But here’s the kicker: not everything can be a priority. If everything is important, then nothing is important. It’s about distinguishing what’s urgent from what’s truly important.
Example: When Steve Jobs he returned to Apple in 1997, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. Jobs realized that Apple had lost its focus. They had dozens of products, and none of them were exceptional. So, what did he do? He cut down the product line from dozens to just four, focusing on the few that mattered the most. This laser focus on priorities brought Apple back to life.
2: The Eisenhower Matrix
One powerful tool to help you manage your priorities is the Eisenhower Matrix, named after President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He once said, “What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important.” This matrix helps you categorize tasks into four quadrants:
Urgent and Important: Tasks that need immediate attention.
Important but Not Urgent: Tasks that are important for long-term goals but don’t need immediate attention.
Urgent but Not Important: Tasks that need immediate attention but are not important for your long-term goals.
Not Urgent and Not Important: Tasks that are neither urgent nor important.
The goal is to focus most of your time on the second quadrant—important but not urgent. These are the tasks that lead to long-term success and fulfillment.
Practical Tip: Take a few minutes at the start of each week to list out your tasks and categorize them using the Eisenhower Matrix. You’ll be surprised at how much clarity this brings.
3: Setting Clear Goals
To manage your priorities effectively, you need clear goals. Without clear goals, it’s easy to get lost in the sea of tasks and activities. Here’s a simple framework to set effective goals: SMART.
Specific: Clearly define what you want to achieve.
Measurable: Ensure you can track your progress.
Achievable: Set realistic goals.
Relevant: Make sure your goals align with your overall objectives.
Time-bound: Set a deadline for your goals.
Take the example of a project manager at a tech company. Instead of setting a vague goal like “improve team productivity,” a SMART goal would be “increase team productivity by 20% in the next quarter by implementing agile methodologies.”
In Michael Hyatt’s SMARTER framework for goal setting, the E and additional R stand for:
Exciting: Goals should be personally compelling and inspire you to take action. If you’re not excited about your goals, you’re less likely to stay committed to them.
Risky: Goals should stretch you and push you out of your comfort zone. They should be challenging enough to inspire growth and innovation, ensuring that you’re continuously developing your skills and capabilities.
The full SMARTER framework, then, stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Exciting, and Risky.
Click the play button below to listen to the episode
Managing priorities also means managing your time effectively. Here are a few time management techniques to help you stay on top of your priorities:
The Pomodoro Technique: Work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. After four Pomodoros, take a longer break. This helps maintain focus and avoid burnout.
Time Blocking: Allocate specific blocks of time for different tasks or activities. This helps ensure you’re dedicating time to your top priorities.
The Two-Minute Rule: If a task takes less than two minutes to complete, do it immediately. This prevents small tasks from piling up.
Batching Similar Tasks: Group similar tasks together and tackle them in one go. This reduces the cognitive load of switching between different types of tasks.
Practical Tip: Experiment with these techniques and find what works best for you. The key is consistency and making small adjustments as needed.
5: Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Even with the best strategies, it’s easy to fall into common pitfalls when managing priorities. Here are a few to watch out for:
Procrastination: Putting off important tasks can derail your progress. Combat this by breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps.
Overcommitting: Saying yes to everything can overwhelm you. Learn to say no and prioritize what truly matters.
Distractions: In our digital age, distractions are everywhere. Create a distraction-free environment when working on important tasks.
Perfectionism: Striving for perfection can lead to paralysis. Focus on progress, not perfection.
Example: Think about the story of J.K. Rowling. When she was writing the first Harry Potter book, she faced numerous rejections and distractions. But by managing her priorities and focusing on her goal, she eventually created one of the most successful book series of all time.
6: Tools and Resources
There are plenty of tools and resources available to help you manage your priorities. Here are a few I recommend:
Trello/Asana/Milanote: Great for project management and tracking tasks.
Evernote/Notion/Obsidian: Perfect for taking notes and organizing information.
Google Calendar: Essential for time blocking and scheduling.
Focus@Will/Idagio: A music service designed to improve focus and productivity.
Practical Tip: Try out different tools and see which ones fit your workflow. Remember, tools are meant to assist you, not complicate things.
Conclusion: Taking Action
Managing priorities is an ongoing process. It requires regular reflection and adjustment. But by understanding what truly matters, setting clear goals, and using effective time management techniques, you can make significant progress towards your personal and professional aspirations.
Remember, it’s not about doing more, but doing what matters. Take a moment today to reflect on your priorities and make a plan to tackle them head-on.
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Finally, thanks for listening and remember, “Leaders read and readers lead.”
They say that, in order for companies and their employees to succeed, they need to focus on building skills for the future. The book shows how the most forward-thinking companies, big and small, are transforming their employees into experts and, ultimately, creating their biggest competitive advantage.
Listen in below as Kelly shares her “expertise” on The Expertise Economy.
