Do you ever find that when you give yourself more time to complete a task, you:
(a) Procrastinate and then work at the last minute to get it done, despite your intentions to the contrary; and/or
(b) Spend more time than necessary on the task, knowing you technically have the time to devote to it?
If this sounds familiar, your habits may be falling victim to an age-old productivity law, called Parkinson’s Law:
“Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”
This statement was first articulated in 1955 by the British author, C.N. Parkinson, after observing colleagues in the British Civil Service (think, “The Office”…).
In a nut shell, if you give yourself three days to complete a two hour task, the task will increase in complexity and become more daunting so as to fill the three days. You may not fill the extra time with more work or even spend more than 3 hours on the task in the end, but instead it weighs on you, causing stress and tension until it is done.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
When you think of your mounting to-do list, research to complete, documents to draft, or the appointments/shopping/photo arranging (that one usually hits home…) to conquer, here’s my challenge:
Make a list of the top 5 tasks keeping you up at night, and create your own “artificially imposed deadline”. Assign a reasonable amount of time to each task, and then cut the time by one third. Schedule the time in your calendar for each task, eliminate distractions, and START.
To take your “artificially imposed deadline” seriously, use your strengths* to your advantage:
- If you are competitive, set a timer and beat the clock;
- If you are an achiever, stay focused on the feeling of crossing the items off your to-do list;
- If you are analytical, use your laser sharp skills to their max in a concentrated period of time; and
- If you are motivated by rewards, determine a sweet reward in advance and keep your eyes on the prize (remember, if completing a nagging task gives you a great lift, even if it’s scheduling a few appointments or making one tough phone call, it’s worth the reward).
Try this for one week, and see what happens.
If you are overwhelmed with your responsibilities, and have trouble focusing on your priorities, I can help you tackle the important tasks while managing the small stuff.