Parkinson’s Law is the notion that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. In other words, the amount of work required adjusts to the time available for its completion. This principle is named after Cyril Northcote Parkinson, after he wrote an essay published in The Economist in 1955.
We fill our day with distractions which stops us from being productive. At home we are distracted by the TV, social media, neighbors, our phones, frequent visits to the fridge, destructive habits and more. At work we are distracted by chatty co-workers, office noise/radio, continuously checking e-mails, unproductive meetings, social media, internet and more.
If you work 8am – 5pm like the majority of us, we create activities to keep us busy to fill that time. As the saying goes, “time is money” or “time is precious, don’t waste it”. Yet, we waste so much time doing unnecessary menial things.
If you had to work 12 hours a day, you would fill that time keeping busy. If you had to work 8 hours a day, you would fill this time too. If your boss miraculously let you work 6 hours a day, you would complete the same amount of work in that given time frame. The same with a deadline, if you were given a deadline to complete a task in a week, you would. If the deadline was dramatically moved up to 24 hours, you would ideally complete the task in that time frame.
The longer the time frame the more ineffective we get, the shorter the deadline, the more effective we are.
How can we take advantage of Parkinson’s Law
Shorten your work time and set specific deadlines. The extra pressure of shorter time frames acts as a motivator to get the task done quicker. This is where the Pareto Principle or 80/20 rule applies. Remember 80% of your success comes from 20% of your efforts.
- Put your finger on the 20% that gives you 80%.
- Cut out the things with the least value.
- Give yourself short and clear deadlines.
If you do not identify the mission critical tasks and set aggressive deadlines, the unimportant becomes the important. Here is how you prioritize critical tasks: It’s called the Eisenhower matrix.
The 4 categories are:
- Important and urgent tasks
- Unimportant but urgent tasks
- Important but not urgent tasks
- Unimportant and not urgent tasks.
The 1st category: Important and urgent are high priority tasks.
The 2nd category: Important and not urgent, these tasks can be scheduled.
The 3rd category: Not important and urgent, these tasks should be delegated.
The 4th category: Not important and not urgent, you may want to avoid these tasks altogether.
In conclusion, Parkinson’s Law offers a valuable perspective on time management and productivity. By recognizing that work expands to fill the time available for its completion, we can take proactive steps to set realistic deadlines, streamline our processes, and avoid unnecessary delays. Understanding this principle helps us make more efficient use of our time, reduce stress, and ultimately achieve more in less time. So, the next time you find yourself overwhelmed by a task, remember to challenge the natural tendency to stretch it out. Set a clear deadline, stay focused, and take control of your time—because, in the end, time is the one resource we can never get back.
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Tim Ferriss 4 Hour Workweek
Body of Brilliance 