Productivity is about simplifying how you work, getting things done faster, and doing things better. It’s about working smarter, not harder. Want to focus on things that matter, get more done and boost your productivity? Apply the 4-step system inspired by Parkinson’s law.
Parkinson’s Law
Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion
- The most important factor in time to completion is the deadline
- Cutting out the unnecessary work allows you to focus on the 20% of tasks that bring 80% of the results
- When you have more time, you spend it
How to use Parkinson’s Law to your advantage?
Look at deadlines as an essential tool for productivity
- Use smaller, shorter deadlines to challenge yourself
- Time constraint makes you focus on what really matters
- Forces you to analyze your schedule and drop what does not move the needle
- Don’t use this as an excuse to set unrealistic deadlines
Set a Timeline
Create an actionable plan – a timeline – that includes: what will be done in each task, who will do it, and by when will it be done
- If you do not have a deadline right around the corner, your productivity will drop
- The longer the deadline, the more time you will waste on unproductive work
Step 1: Time Log Your Days
To shrink your work, you need to know exactly what to do.
- You need to start by creating a time log of your days
- There are two main ways to do it:
- Using a time tracking app
- Doing it manually
- Set hourly timers on your computer and write down what you did during the last hour every time it goes off
Start Planning Your Days
Allocate your time wisely, and you will see great results
- Planning your days in advance will help with this
- By planning every minute of your day, you can plan exactly what you need to do
- You won’t need to find time for your tasks during the day
- This keeps you focused and stress-free
Outline Project Goals
Without a clear vision, you either end up doing nothing or taking too long to finish the project
- Define project goals by identifying the simplest output you would be happy with
- Do I really need to do this task to complete my project? This question will help you weed out the unnecessary work
Prioritize Your Tasks
You need to prioritize the tasks that will make all the subsequent tasks easier
- What is the ONE thing I can do such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary? Once you reach an answer, note down the task and go to the next one. Do this until you account for all the essential tasks of the project
