Time Unlocked: Mastering the Pomodoro Technique Against Parkinson's Law
Last updated: October 08, 2024 Read in fullscreen view
Recommended for you
- 21 Dec 2023
Top 12 Low-Code Platforms To Use in 2024 1097 - 01 Oct 2020 Fail fast, learn faster with Agile methodology 933
- 18 Oct 2020 How to use the "Knowns" and "Unknowns" technique to manage assumptions 918
- 14 Oct 2021 Advantages and Disadvantages of Time and Material Contract (T&M) 757
- 19 Oct 2021 Is gold plating good or bad in project management? 720
- 10 Aug 2024 Odoo vs. Lark: A Comprehensive Comparison 644
- 19 Oct 2021 Software development life cycles 626
- 28 Jul 2022 POC, Prototypes, Pilots and MVP: What Are the Differences? 577
- 21 Sep 2023 Abraham Wald and the Missing Bullet Holes 563
- 08 Oct 2022 KPI - The New Leadership 550
- 19 Apr 2021 7 Most Common Time-Wasters For Software Development 518
- 18 Jul 2021 How To Ramp Up An Offshore Software Development Team Quickly 503
- 12 Oct 2022 14 Common Reasons Software Projects Fail (And How To Avoid Them) 474
- 11 Jan 2024 What are the Benefits and Limitations of Augmented Intelligence? 414
- 28 Dec 2021 8 types of pricing models in software development outsourcing 411
- 13 Oct 2021 Outsourcing Software Development: MVP, Proof of Concept (POC) and Prototyping. Which is better? 405
- 10 Dec 2023 Pain points of User Acceptance Testing (UAT) 399
- 23 Sep 2021 INFOGRAPHIC: Top 9 Software Outsourcing Mistakes 398
- 31 Oct 2021 Tips to Fail Fast With Outsourcing 369
- 16 Sep 2022 Examples Of Augmented Intelligence In Today’s Workplaces Shaping the Business as Usual 369
- 28 Oct 2022 Build Operate Transfer (B.O.T) Model in Software Outsourcing 358
- 12 Dec 2021 Zero Sum Games Agile vs. Waterfall Project Management Methods 355
- 06 Feb 2021 Why fail fast and learn fast? 347
- 26 Sep 2024 Successful Project Management Techniques You Need to Look Out For 347
- 31 Dec 2022 The New Normal for Software Development 336
- 10 Jan 2024 Like for Like – how to preserves existing business and leverage technological advancement 321
- 27 Jul 2024 Positive Psychology in the Digital Age: Future Directions and Technologies 315
- 05 Mar 2021 How do you minimize risks when you outsource software development? 310
- 11 Oct 2022 Why choose Billable Viable Product (BVP) over Minimum Viable Product (MVP) 301
- 04 Oct 2021 Product Validation: The Key to Developing the Best Product Possible 291
- 13 Dec 2020 Move fast, fail fast, fail-safe 286
- 17 Feb 2022 Prioritizing Software Requirements with Kano Analysis 273
- 19 Dec 2023 How AI is Transforming Software Development? 270
- 04 Oct 2022 Which ERP implementation strategy is right for your business? 256
- 18 Aug 2022 What are the consequences of poor requirements with software development projects? 234
- 06 Nov 2019 How to Access Software Project Size? 229
- 02 Dec 2024 The Intersection of AI and Business Analytics: Key Concepts to Master in Your Business Analytics Course 228
- 01 Dec 2023 Laws of Project Management 226
- 16 Aug 2022 What is a Headless CMS? 218
- 05 Sep 2024 The Inverted Approach: A Guide to Identifying Software Risks with Reverse Brainstorming 210
- 31 Aug 2022 What are the best practices for software contract negotiations? 208
- 10 Nov 2022 Poor Code Indicators and How to Improve Your Code? 202
- 18 Jan 2024 Self-healing code is the future of software development 198
- 17 Sep 2024 JPGConverters.com Review: Fast, Reliable, & User-Friendly Image Conversion 191
- 26 Dec 2023 Improving Meeting Effectiveness Through the Six Thinking Hats 188
- 01 Mar 2023 Bug Prioritization - What are the 5 levels of priority? 186
- 01 May 2024 Warren Buffett’s Golden Rule for Digital Transformation: Avoiding Tech Overload 183
- 18 Jul 2024 The 8 Best ways to Innovate your SAAS Business Model in 2024 177
- 02 Sep 2024 Toolzoon Review: Features, Benefits, and Essential Tools for Enhanced Productivity 172
- 05 Jan 2024 Easy ASANA tips & tricks for you and your team 169
- 18 Aug 2024 The Future of Web Development: Emerging Trends and Technologies Every Developer Should Know 165
- 25 Sep 2024 Enhancing Decision-Making Skills with an MBA: Data-Driven Approaches for Business Growth 163
- 27 Feb 2025 How AI Agents are Changing Software Development? 161
- 05 Sep 2023 The Cold Start Problem: How to Start and Scale Network Effects 157
- 31 Dec 2023 Software Development Outsourcing Trends to Watch Out for in 2024 157
- 22 Nov 2024 The Role of AI in Enhancing Business Efficiency and Decision-Making 151
- 12 Sep 2024 Be Water, My Friend: Fluidity, Flow & Going With the Flow 149
- 03 Nov 2023 Why Is Billable Viable Product An Alternative To Minimum Viable Product? 149
- 10 Sep 2024 AI in Email Marketing: Personalization and Automation 148
- 03 Jan 2024 Why Partnership is important for Growth? 138
- 09 Sep 2024 How AI Rewriting Can Improve Your Content’s SEO Performance 136
- 06 Mar 2024 [SemRush] What Are LSI Keywords & Why They Don‘t Matter 121
- 10 Sep 2024 Leading Remote Teams in Hybrid Work Environments 121
- 31 Dec 2022 Future of Software Development Trends and Predictions for 2023 118
- 30 Jul 2024 The Future of IT Consulting: Trends and Opportunities 115
- 12 Mar 2024 How do you create FOMO in software prospects? 115
- 19 Apr 2024 What is Skills-Based Approach & Why Does it Matter? 114
- 14 Mar 2024 Why should you opt for software localization from a professional agency? 112
- 09 Oct 2024 Short-Form Video Advertising: The Secret to Captivating Your Audience 100
- 21 Oct 2024 Simplify Your Workflow with an AI Summary Generator 97
- 20 Aug 2025 What Is Agentic AI? The Next Phase of Artificial Intelligence 81
- 12 Aug 2024 Understanding Google Analytics in Mumbai: A Beginner's Guide 78
- 23 Jun 2025 AI Avatars in the Metaverse: How Digital Beings Are Redefining Identity and Social Interaction 74
- 20 Feb 2025 How Machine Learning is Shaping the Future of Digital Advertising 68
- 25 Jan 2025 The Decline of Traditional SaaS and the Rise of AI-first Applications 64
- 15 Aug 2025 Quantum Technology: Global Challenges and Opportunities for Innovators 51
- 07 Oct 2025 Case Study: Using the “Messaging House” Framework to Build a Digital Transformation Roadmap 23
What is Parkinson’s law?
You might have come across this quote when learning about productivity. Maybe you haven’t. That statement defines Parkinson’s Law.
In a 1955 article for The Economist, Cyril Northcote Parkinson introduced Parkinson's Law for the first time. Later, the article was featured in the 1958 book "Parkinson's Law: The Pursuit of Progress." One of the main works directly pertaining to Parkinson's Law is this book.
Cyril Northcote Parkinson made the remark in 1955 in an article for the Economist. The statement can easily apply to most of your regular duties. Its principle is that the more time allocated to a task, the longer it takes to finish.
Say you have a paper that is due in one week, but you wait until the last two days to finish it. Technically, that task took one week because that is the time frame that you gave it. Seeing as you completed the paper in two days, it means that you should have timed the task for that duration. Most people are familiar with this law; they just don’t know it.
If employees analyse their past activities, they can pinpoint instances when Parkinson’s Principle was at work.
How Parkinson's Law Affects Productivity?
Parkinson's Principle or the perception that you have more time than you actually need to perform a certain task will lead you to procrastinate. It occurs when people think they have sufficient time to complete a task than required and it increases complexity as well as stress on them. This definitely hampers productivity in business as a result of which every employee needs to fulfill his obligations with due efficiency. Hence, the necessary time required for checklists only may be allotted.
Impact on Productivity:
- Work Efficiency: Parkinson's Law implies that when given too much time, people and teams tend to utilize more time than necessary to complete activities since it states that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." As a result of the job being stretched to fit the allotted time, inefficiencies may result.
- Procrastination: Parkinson's Law explains why individuals often put things off, especially when there are extended deadlines. If they think they have lots of time, they could put off starting a task until the last minute, only to find themselves hurrying to finish it.
- Prioritization and Focus: People who are aware of Parkinson's Law may begin to prioritize their duties more wisely and focus their energies on the most crucial ones. This can increase productivity by guaranteeing that important tasks are finished quickly and effectively.
- Resource Management: Parkinson's Law also applies to the utilization of resources like cash or workforce that are not time-related. When a department receives a huge budget, for instance, it may find methods to spend the entire amount even when it isn't necessary, which might result in unnecessary spending.
- Task Complexity: The law may cause the complexity of a task to artificially increase. Simple jobs may become unduly complex as the time to fill grows, which will reduce production.
How to Improve Time Management?
So, you know what Parkinson's Law is. How do you use that lesson to change how you do things?
Avoiding waste requires efficient time management. Start by removing deadlines. When making a to-do list or organizing a project, be sure you only allot the time that is required. Take advantage of the chance not to do it. Tight deadlines compel employees to concentrate on the essentials. To make sure the task is finished, you will make the most of the time that is available. But don't forget to set appropriate deadlines. Make sure you give the assignment enough time by giving it a comprehensive evaluation.
How can you perform more tasks in less time?
A simple way to combat Parkinson’s Law is to change the mindset by not assuming to finish a task we must use up all the allotted time.
Productivity and time-management methodologies and techniques can really help when trying to optimise your time.
Parkinson's Law Checklist
Productivity and Time Management Techniques:Time-Blocking
Time-blocking technique is about assigning specific blocks of time to each task.
GTD Getting Things Done : 2 Minute Rule
GTD Getting things done two-minute rule is a simple principle that any task that can be performed in less than two minutes must be completed immediately, rather than be scheduled or added to a to-do list.
Pareto principle
Pareto principle is also known as the 80/20 rule states 80% of results come from just 20% of the effort in a task. Meaning the majority of work has less impact on the final result.
Pomodoro Technique
Pomodoro techniques are 25-minute focused work sprints followed by a short break of 5 minutes to help sustain concentration and reduce mental fatigue.
People with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) often feel overwhelmed when confronted with large tasks, leading to procrastination. By breaking tasks down into manageable chunks, the Pomodoro Technique makes daunting tasks seem more approachable, reducing feelings of overwhelm and facilitating task initiation.
Pomodoro Timer is available on Amazon to help you manage your time more effectively.
Eliminating time wastage and enhancing productivity
Efficient resource planning goes a long way in eliminating time wastage and enhancing productivity. For one, get the right people for particular roles. Workers with the right skills for the assigned tasks know where to start so task management is key. They won’t waste time trying to find out how to approach a task. Plan the other resources required for the job. If a project requires new equipment, get it beforehand. Team members won’t have to spend time trying to find what they need.
If you are to meet tight deadlines, know that accountability is key. Whether a worker is alone or part of a team, a degree of accountability helps a great deal. If a project encounters an issue, there should be a practical and effective way to deal with it. Know who to hold responsible when the deliverables are not met.
Parkinson's Law states that the more time you allow for a task, the longer it takes. Individuals and businesses must know how to manage time efficiently. Tools like the Pomodoro technique, GTD Getting things done, 80-20 rule, and checklists can help with time management on all levels.
Project Management Laws
Teams will build systems that are carbon copies of their communication structure and that smaller teams have better communication channels and can understand the environment better. Thus creating better products and much quicker than larger teams.
Brooks’s law also identifies that larger teams don’t always make things happen quicker “adding additional manpower to a late project makes it later.”
Work expands to fill the time available for its completion (Cyril Northcote Parkinson)
Expenditure rises to meet income (Cyril Northcote Parkinson)
Parkinson’s Law dictates that a task will swell in (perceived) importance and complexity in relation to the time allotted for its completion (Tim Ferriss in “The 4 Hour workweek”)
If you want to get more done, shorten your deadlines (Robert C. Pozen)
The time spent on any item of the agenda will be in inverse proportion to the sum [of money] involved (Parkinson’s Law of Triviality by Cyril Northcote Parkinson)
Explore more on these topics
Guest Blogging: The Definitive Guide
Top Trending Topics
Share This
Link copied!
Recently Updated News