Defy Parkinson’s Law to Be More Productive

Parkinson’s law is an observation that suggests the longer you give yourself to do something, the longer you’ll take to actually get it done. But it’s always better to get difficult things done as soon as possible, so let’s look at Parkinson’s Law and how you can overcome it.

What is Parkinson’s law?

The origins of the axiom are silly: Cyril Northcote Parkinson described the phenomenon in a 1955 humorous essay in The Economist, and it’s been credited to him ever since. Though it had a funny start, the idea grew until it was being studied in more serious capacities. Researchers published their findings on Parkinson’s law in the Psychonomic Bulletin & Review in 1999, finding that people tend to consider how much time is available to complete a task rather than considering how little time it might actually take.

You can probably see examples in your own life. If your boss gives you an easy task but sets a deadline for the following week, are you likely to get the work done seven days early?

How to beat this kind of procrastination

Consider the example of having a week to do a simple task at work. Instead of setting a week from now as the goal date and letting the task hang over you, pick a day to get it all done — ideally, one or two days before the due date so it’s fresh in your mind if you have to discuss or explain it. Schedule a block of time to do whatever needs to be done, but give yourself less time than you normally would. Don’t give yourself two hours if it’s a half-hour job. If you think there could be distractions or other issues that crop up during your work time, take steps (like indicating you’re busy) to mitigate them instead of accommodating them with a time buffer.

Overcoming Parkinson’s law is all about strategic planning and keeping yourself accountable, so try using a day planner to schedule out your time periods. You can also use a productivity timer, which displays exactly how much time you have left to complete your task.