What Really Matters | Honoring Priorities That Sustain You

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When was the last time you slowed down long enough to notice what truly matters?

In a culture that glorifies endless productivity, it can feel radical to measure our lives not by what we produce but by what we prioritize. 

And yet, the research, and our lived experience, is clear…

Doing more doesn’t necessarily mean achieving more.

Choosing to honor your pace is not indulgence, it’s leadership. It’s innovation. It’s what makes your contributions last.

This week, Karlee invites you into a season of discernment, replenishment, and permission to honor what’s essential. From an eight-year-old’s wisdom about the importance of water, to lessons from farmers, thinkers, and even board games, this episode is a reminder that true leadership isn’t about hustling harder. It’s about cultivating the rhythms that sustain us.

In this episode, we’ll explore how to release the pressure of “shoulds,” how to spot the difference between real urgency and false urgency, and how to make space for the life-giving priorities that nourish us and those we lead. If you’ve been carrying too much, rushing through days without replenishment, or wondering what to let go of so that what really matters can flourish, you’ll learn practical ways to identify and focus on what matters most. 

If you’re ready to replenish where you can, let go of what you don’t need to carry, and remember what’s really important, then this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• (1:45) How an 8-year-old reminded Karlee of life’s most essential priority
• (4:12) The surprising research that proves productivity plateaus
• (6:25) How prolific thinkers like Darwin sustained their genius
• (8:33) A farmer’s wisdom on discerning true urgency from false urgency
• (11:02) Three prompts to help you clarify what matters most this season

People Mentioned in this Episode:

Jen Salineti

References:

1. Productivity drops after 50 hours a week

• A Stanford University study found that output per hour sharply declines after 50 hours of work per week, and plummets entirely after 55 hours. People working 70 hours produce nothing more than those working 55.
    Ref: John Pencavel, Stanford University, “The Productivity of Working Hours” (2014)

2. Sleep deprivation = poor decision making

• The Harvard Business Review reports that lack of sleep costs U.S. businesses over $63 billion annually in lost productivity, primarily due to poor decision-making and reduced creativity.
  Ref: Hafner et al., RAND Corp (2016); HBR summary, “Sleep Deprivation is Killing You and Your Career.”

3. Rest enhances creativity and innovation

• Neuroscientist Alex Soojung-Kim Pang documents how “deliberate rest” boosts creativity and productivity, showing that some of history’s most prolific innovators (Darwin, Dickens, etc.) worked only ~4 focused hours/day, leaving space for rest and reflection.
  Ref: Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less (2016)

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