3 . Have you ever put off a project until the last minute even though you knew it would only take a few hours to complete? Studies suggest that when given a task, we think of how much time is available to complete the task instead of how much time we actually need. This mindset, or Parkinson’s Law as psychologists put it, results in wasted time and inefficient workflows.

One reason why this phenomenon happens lies in how people tend to approach tasks. By focusing on how much time we have to do something, we assume that the task will require that much time. Parkinson’s Law isn’t a magic formula (公式) or a fixed rule. But it is an observation you can use to help you become more productive. Let’s look at a few ways you can apply Parkinson’s Law to your life, get your to-do list checked off quicker, and spend less of the workday filling in time just to look busy.

As you get started, make a list of your tasks, and determine the amount of time it takes to complete them. If you can give yourself half that time to complete each task, you can avoid falling into the procrastination (拖延) trap.

Get better at judging time. Some tasks may be accurate to begin with, and some may be inflated if you are not used to using Parkinson’s Law. A timer is going to be very useful when you start doing this.

Avoid setting arbitrary deadlines and instead think about how long a task will realistically take to complete. While this might not be clear, consider past experiences as a guide.

While Parkinson’s Law is a phenomenon that can lead to wasted time and incompetence, it doesn’t have to be a problem if you’re aware of it. Using some of the strategies above, you can avoid falling victim to Parkinson’s Law and make the most of your time.