The 80/20 rule is a rule that is used in a number of different situations but in terms of time management and productivity it says that 20 percent of the work produces 80% of the result. How can you use this rule to be as productive as possible?
What the 80/20 Rule Means in Terms of Productivity
The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto principle, states that 20% of the work produces 80% of the result. This means that by focusing on the 20% that brings in the best results you can be more productive and get things done quicker, you may even be able to leave out some work you would have done previously.
Work out What Your 20% is
In order to know where to focus your attention to get the best results you need to look at what your 20% is in a number of areas. What are the 20% of the tasks that you are doing that bring in 80% of the results? What are the 20% of the journals or reading materials that bring you 80% of the value? By working out what 20% in your life is bringing the most value you will know where you should focus your efforts.
Start with 20%
Once you have decided which 20% is bringing you the most value then start by focusing on these. Toss out other reading materials that are not bringing you as much value and leave tasks that do not bring value until last. Starting here ensures that you get the bulk of the work done that you need to as effectively as possible, and you get maximum value from what you read.
Do You Really Need To Do That Last 80%?
Once you have completed the first 20% that is bringing you the maximum results consider whether it is really necessary to do the last 80%. If you have achieved your expected outcome and done what needs to be done then you may not need to do 80% of the task, consider how much time you would have saved by simply following this principle?
If You Do Need to Do More, Break It Down Again
If you do need to do a bit more of the task in order to reach your expected outcome or finish the project desirably then break the task down again working out the 20% that will bring the best results. Continue doing this until you have completed the task satisfactorily.
The 80/20 rule states that 20% of your tasks give you 80% of the results. By focusing on these 20% you can improve your productivity, finish tasks quicker and perhaps not even need to complete the remaining 80%. You should follow this rule before completing tasks in order to work out exactly what is required.
posted @ Wednesday, May 21, 2008 2:55 PM | Feedback (0)