Parkinsons Law

Parkinson's Law is the adage that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." This means that if you give yourself a week to complete a task that could be done in a day, it will likely take you the entire week.

This is because when we have a lot of time, we tend to overcomplicate things, procrastinate, and focus on unimportant details. We create "make-work" to fill the time, rather than focusing on the most important tasks.

The antidote to Parkinson's Law is to set aggressive deadlines. By setting a short deadline, you force yourself to focus on what's truly essential and to work more efficiently. This is the principle behind The 7 Day Startup methodology.

When you have a tight deadline, you don't have time for anti-hustle activities like endlessly tweaking your logo or debating minor details. You're forced to focus on the critical path to launching and getting your product in front of customers.

By understanding and applying Parkinson's Law, you can significantly increase your productivity and get more done in less time.