Time is a crucial resource when it comes to being productive and achieving your goals. One of the most powerful principles in managing time is Parkinson’s Law which explains how time works against productivity. Understanding and applying this law will allow you to achieve tasks in a quicker pace than before.
What Is Parkinson’s Law?
First introduced by Cyril Northcote Parkinson in his 5198 book, Parkinson’s Law or the Pursuit of Progress, this law states:
“Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.”
The more time you set aside to do a task, the longer it will take to be completed. If you set aside a week to complete a task that can be done in a day, chances are it is going to take you the entire week. The take home message is ‘time matters. The more time you give for a task, the more time it will consume.
Why Does Parkinson’s Law Matter?
According to Parkinson’s law, ‘Procrastination happens when deadline boundaries permit it,’ people tend to wait until the last moment to attend to their duties. With time as an unlimited resource, spending more than required accomplishing tasks becomes as common as wasting the little time that should be allotted for the task.
Take for instance getting a report done in a week, with the knowledge that there is adequate time available people only complete the reports in the last couple of hours, hence wasting the rest of the week. Having tighter deadlines mandate individuals to perform at their optimal levels and complete tasks on time.
How to Overcome Parkinson’s Law and Boost Productivity
In order to surpass, like many other phenomena, Parkinson’s Law can be readily dealt with by applying certain strategies that tend to challenge the range of workers which is usually tend to prolong the boundaries of tasks. Here are a couple of ways in which people suffering from productivity issues can improve it.
1. Set Shorter Deadlines
Instead of allotting yourself a broad time range, use precise dates, as opposed to randomly picking dates. Staying focused on a smaller timeframe gets rid of procrastination habits and makes it more realistic to achieve tasks when they’re set within shorter periods.
To illustrate, you can consider that a project will take three hours to finish. You can now set a two hour deadline which in turn helps you train yourself to complete tasks in a shorter duration and with complete focus. This method enhances productivity and enables finishing tasks way before the deadline approaches.
2. Split Larger Goals into Smaller Activities
Larger, more difficult tasks can appear to be extremely intimidating which can lead to an immense amount of procrastination. To tackle this issue, splitting these goals is the most effective solution. Completing smaller goals will enable you to feel more accomplished and motivated over time.
As an example:
- A factory worker may try and aim to increase his daily earnings from 4,000 Rs. to 6,000 Rs.
- You could try waking up at 5:00 A.M instead of 7:00 A.M to foster better habits in the morning.
These more gradual and incremental goals are far easier to track and accomplish in comparison.
3. Level of Importance in Tasks
Being busy does not equate to being productive. In order to enhance productivity, ‘less important tasks’ should be kept aside. Order your tasks according to the level of urgency and importance. Always strive to complete the most critical tasks first.
Adhere to a schedule so that you are undertaking the appropriate work at the appropriate time. Rather than concentrating on simpler smaller tasks that do not lead you towards your targets, spend your efforts on the important and urgent tasks that will drive results.
Actionable Advice on How to Effectively Apply Parkinson’s Law
Here are some suggestions to aid in the daily application of Parkinson’s Law that pertains to your life:
- Create a rough estimate based in reality on how long each assignment will take and edit your calendar based on it.
- Set a shorter time frame for bigger tasks than you usually require, and see if you can finish it in that time.
- Establish smaller, more achievable benchmark goals to keep you engaged in the course of work.
- Adjust the sequence of completing your checklist by what is most urgent and important and tackle first things that must be done fast and well.
In this manner, time seems to work for you rather than against you. You will be relieved of high levels of stress and will be more productive.
Conclusion
With the help of Parkinson’s Law, you can effectively master the art of time management. By harnessing the interdependence between time and productivity, a person can customize their method for attending to tasks, within setting realistic deadlines, as well as pay attention to their key objectives. Keep in mind, “the shorter the deadline, the more productive you’ll be.” Try to apply these strategies immediately for a noticeable change in your management of time and effectiveness.
