Parkinson’s Law

British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson became famous for the phrase “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the amount of time you give yourself to complete a task is the amount of time it will take you to complete that task.

Good for Avoiding Procrastination

Good for Generating need/pressure

How it works

This is not a time management technique per se. It’s a law that, when understood, can be applied as one of the most beneficial time management methods out there—but you will have to put in the work. That means working more efficiently in shorter bursts of time. Here are some tips:

Try working without a computer charger.
This will force you to finish a project before your computer dies.

Get it done early.
Instead of finishing an essay by close of business, try to get it done by noon.

Set a deadline.
Give yourself a set time to do something—and then cut it in half.

Limit time for tasks.
Give yourself only 20 minutes in the morning to answer emails.