There are hundreds of resources, tools, and information available to help you with managing your time. With so many options, it can be challenging to decide which ones are best and to use.
In my 10 + years of teaching Time & Project Management, the best way to manage time in my opinion is the 80/20 rule!
The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, suggests that 80% of results often come from 20% of efforts. When applied to time management, the goal is to focus on high-impact tasks that drive the majority of outcomes. Here’s how to use the 80/20 rule effectively:
Identify High-Impact Activities
- Analyze Your Tasks: List everything you do in a day or week.
- Determine Impact: Ask yourself:
- Which tasks produce the most significant results?
- What activities align with your primary goals?
- What tasks/activities/people are wasting your time?
- Focus on the Top 20%: Prioritize the tasks or activities that contribute the most to your success!
Example:
- If you’re running a business, 20% of your clients may generate 80% of your revenue. Focus on nurturing those clients. If you have a client/customer that takes up the most time and is NOT in the top 20% of profit contributors, you may make them lower priority. This is not being mean- you need to be able to make money.
Eliminate or Delegate Low-Value Tasks
- Identify the Bottom 80%: Spot tasks that take up time but add little value (e.g., excessive email checking, unnecessary meetings).
- Delegate or Automate: Pass off low-impact tasks to others or use tools (e.g., email filters, scheduling apps).
- Say No More Often: Politely decline activities that don’t align with your goals. This includes your personal and work life!
Set Clear Priorities
- Rank Tasks by Impact: Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize:
- Important and Urgent: Do these first. The KEY is to always be planning- so you won’t have anything in your Urgent. The idea is to get your tasks accomplished before they get to this point.
- Important but Not Urgent: Schedule these projects/tasks into your week with time blocking.
- Work on Big Wins First: Eat the frog as they say-Begin your day with high-priority tasks.
Focus Your Time and Energy
- Create Focus Blocks: Dedicate uninterrupted time to work on high-impact tasks.
- Use the Pomodoro Technique: Work in focused intervals (25–30 minutes) to stay productive without burnout.
- Minimize Multitasking: Focus on one task at a time for better efficiency.
Regularly Review and Adjust
- Track Your Progress: Use a journal or app to monitor how your time aligns with your goals.
- Reassess Priorities: Periodically check if your “20%” is still yielding the highest results.
- Adapt as Needed: Goals and priorities change; ensure your efforts align with current objectives.
Combine with Other Productivity Techniques
- Pareto + Time Blocking: Allocate time slots only for the top 20% activities.
- Pareto + SMART Goals: Focus on specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives.
Example in Practice:
Scenario: Let’s say you write for your website and You Tube Channel:
- 80/20 Focus:
- Identify the videos/content that generates 80% of your revenue.
- Reduce time spent on less impactful tasks like excessive social media browsing or graphic design work.
- Action Plan:
- Spend more time writing, filming, and editing videos.
- Delegate video thumbnails to a freelancer.
By consistently applying the 80/20 rule, you can maximize your impact and make the best use of your time. Out of all the Time Management options, the 80/rule is ultimately the best way to manage your time.
What are your thoughts on the 80/20 rule? Would love to hear- please leave in the comments below!