Parkinson's law and not wasting other people's time.

#16 - 01.03.21

Brother -

Let me introduce you to the concept of Parkinson's Law. It means that work expands to fill the time allotted. Essentially we will use every bit of time we are given for a project or piece of work.

It might sound like procrastination - and trust me - they are related. This is similar to when you'd cram all night for an exam, or wait until the last minute to turn in a paper as you add finishing touches. It could also be the fact that I write most 'Notes to my Brother' newsletters on Sunday morning right before sending them :)

I don't want to talk to you about applying the concept to your personal work, though, as this only affects you. Parkinson's law was introduced to me in the context of business meetings with co-workers. Isn't it odd that we will magically use up every second, whether it's a 30 or 60-minute meeting?

This is the worst when it looks like a meeting will end 8 minutes early. Imagine that you need to use the restroom as you've been in “back-to-back zoom meeting hell” all day - and maybe you can even squeeze in making a coffee as well. As silence starts falling over the call, you eagerly wait for the host to cut the cord and save everyone of their misery. At this moment your Karen-like co-worker chimes in, "Hey! we have 8 minutes left, let's talk about…"

"...Sigh."

In this situation, my upper lip will start to quiver, and one eye bulges just a little bit larger than the other as I give this robotic, no bathroom needing Karen, the 'look of death' for taking away this magical 8 minutes. Eight minutes that would have given me the chance to relieve myself or get the caffeine boost needed for the rest of the monotonous day.

So why do I share this concept? So you can become aware when others start to take your time, or you start to take theirs. Remember, a 1-hour meeting with five people is not a 1-hour meeting… It's a 5-hour meeting. Time is our most precious resource, and we must make the most of it.

The unaware robotic Karen's of the world need to know this concept as well. So what do I do? I try to educate others and lead by example. For instance, 90% of my 45-min weekly staff meetings end early - by at least 15 minutes. I look to cut the cord aggressively and stop the longtail of space-filling chatter, exclaiming I'm giving people time back in their day. Sometimes I'll even reference Parkinson's law to spark curiosity from others who will message me later, asking, "what was that law again where people use up every minute of a meeting?" Success.

Let me leave you with a story and a question.

Andy Grove, the infamous Intel CEO who wrote the bible on management books, once exclaimed to an employee who entered a meeting late, "All I have in this world is time, and you are wasting my time."

Where is your time currently being wasted?

Enjoy the dance,

Nate