Parkinson's Law and You
Parkinson's Law is a concept that states, "Work expands to fill the time available for its completion." In the context of college students, this law can be quite relevant and applicable. Here's how Parkinson's Law might relate to you and how you can combat it:
Procrastination: Most assignments, projects, and exams have deadlines. When given a longer, sometimes open-ended timeframe, you may fall into the trap of procrastination, thinking you have plenty of time to complete the work or that you “work well under pressure”. This last-minute rush to finish tasks as the deadline approaches results in substandard work, lower grades, and unnecessary stress. You may find many times that you spent so long on one assignment that you’ve left little time for the remaining items on your to-do list.
Time Management: If you become aware of Parkinson's Law, you can use it to your advantage by managing your time more effectively. By setting shorter, focused deadlines for yourself, you can create a sense of urgency and avoid unnecessary time-wasting. This can lead to increased productivity and better time management skills.
Efficiency: Understanding Parkinson's Law can encourage you to become more efficient in your work. When you realize that tasks can often be completed in less time than you initially estimate, you may find ways to streamline your processes and avoid overthinking or overcomplicating your work.
Long-Term Projects: In your college career, you will often face long-term projects, such as research papers or semester-long assignments. These projects can seem daunting, and you might fall into the habit of spreading out your work over the entire time period. By applying Parkinson's Law, you could break these projects into smaller, focused tasks with specific deadlines, allowing you to maintain a consistent pace and prevent last-minute cramming.
Focus and Concentration: Knowing that work expands to fill the available time can encourage you to set aside dedicated periods of focused work. This can help you concentrate better and avoid distractions, as you know you need to make the most of the time you allocate.
So what do you do?
If you spend too much time in “reactive mode”, your day is interrupted often, or you find yourself wondering what you should do next. I’ve got the answer for you in two words: time blocking. This is a time management method in which you divide your day into blocks of time. Each block is dedicated to accomplishing a specific task or group of tasks, and ONLY those tasks. I’m not talking about scheduling your day down to the minute. The key is prioritizing your list for the day in advance so planning is a must. With your day time blocked in advance, you won’t constantly have to make choices about what to focus on. Decision fatigue is a real thing. I go much deeper into if, when, and how to time block in my weekly coaching sessions with students. Learn this skill and you’ll be productive and less stressed in college and beyond.
Remember, if you don’t control your schedule, it will control you.