The so-called Parkinson's Law tells us that "The work expands to fill the time available for its completion ", which explains why when we have more time to develop a task, we end up doing the most important thing at the end of the period (and sometimes not even enough). Cyril Northcote Parkinson (1909-1993) was a British naval historian who when he worked in the British Civil Service observed the prevailing bureaucracy, which led him to phrases such as: "an official wants to multiply his subordinates, not rivals ', and"' officials create work for each other ”. He was also the creator of so-called Parkinson's Law of Triviality or also known as “bikeshedding ” (bicycle parking), which refers to the disproportionate weight or importance that we sometimes give to trivial things (this law makes mention at the time that a committee for the construction of a nuclear plant was used to the discussion on bicycle parking).
Both laws unquestionably have a very close relationship with our productivity. Or, isn't it true that the more time available we tend to reduce our efforts? Or, when in a discussion or meeting we dwell on "trivia" and are not able to concentrate on the most important points? Or, that production goal, for which we still have a month left, or two or three months yet?
It is common, unfortunately, that precisely when we have a greater space of time, we waste it on futile things unrelated to the important tasks that we must carry out, and we only worry at the end of it, that is, when precisely the time is already us scarce (which often leads us to not finish or leave work halfway).
In relation to "these evils" it is worth investing a little of our scarce (or abundant time), in remembering some tips to "minimize" or "eliminate" the effects described:
- Divide the tasks into sub-tasks and establish a time limit to finish them. Set a limited time limit, that is "for later" and not "for the next week".Limiting the time we spend on social networks (Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, etc.) It is incredible the time that is wasted in the constant review of these networks (and others of course) Organize meetings of no more than two hours, because generally 50% of that time will be spent on trivial things that have no importance compared to the very reason for that meeting. In addition, as time is limited, it forces attendees to present concrete and practical ideas, setting mini goals for daily work. This way you will have a limit to finish your work or start another activity. You will put the pressure on yourself. Plan, plan. Without proper and timely planning, it is difficult for us to reach an end, and we will go around and around wasting time. Organizing what we plan,in small spaces of time (the mini goals that we mentioned) Identify, based on Pareto's Law, that 20% of the task that is most important, so we will not get distracted by inconsequential things Mark a daily agenda and keep it in sight (the limits of each daily activity will give us the energy and pressure we require).
Applying these simple (but at the same time difficult) steps will lead us to better manage our time and, especially, not to waste it on distracting thoughts and / or actions without any direct value with the real task to be developed. The day has 24 hours and each hour that is lost in that maelstrom of distractions or slowness in action cannot be recovered in a pure way, because if we do so we will have to subtract it from another. As we mentioned in reference to the expression “bikesshedding ”, what is more important, the construction of a nuclear plant or the bicycle parking?
In Chapter Seven, Part Two, the bachelor Sansón Carrasco before the third exit of Don Quixote, tells the long-figured gentleman:
