Parkinson’s law

While at the Shift tour last week, Dave Jenks used in one of his examples the term Parkinson’s law.  This law really hit home with me as something that everyone needs to be conscious of, as we all fall into the trap unless we consciously work to avoid it.

Parkinson’s law is the adage that “work expands to fill the time available”.  To put it in a practical example… If you have a big project and a 24 hour deadline, you will just do the essential tasks that will have the biggest impact to get the project done.  If you are given the same project and a week to do it, you will fill the time with adding “fluff” or making more out of the project that is needed.  That, or you will procrastinate until 24 hours before it is due and rush to get it all done last minute.

You can use this principle in how you plan your day.  This law shows the importance in prioritizing your tasks (essentials to growing your business vs. the extra “stuff” you do), and time blocking to get those essential tasks done.  The goal is to eliminate the “fluff”, or non-essential tasks.  If you really look at what you do and focus on performing the task in a certain block of time, you can free-up hours of your work-week, gain a sense of accomplishment, and move your business to the next level faster.