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Positively_Lisa

How less time can actually help you do more...

Published about 1 month ago • 2 min read

Reader

Have you ever sat down to work on something and looked up an hour later wondering where the time went...and why you still aren't done?

It happens to most of us, and it's rarely a focus problem or discipline problem. There is a reason we don't think about that may be the secret to shifting your time management approach. And once you understand it, you have a practical tool to use to your benefit.

It's called "Parkinson's Law" (not really a law) and it states that work tends to expand to fill whatever time is available for it. Give a task all afternoon and it will probably take all afternoon. Give it an hour and you might be surprised what you accomplish.

Once you catch it happening, you can flip the script and work more quickly and intentionally.

The practical ways to do this include the following approaches:

Timebox your tasks. Instead of scheduling "work on project" with an open-ended goal, assign a specific window. The constraint shifts how your brain engages from the start. (And it's okay if the task isn't finished, as long as you have a defined stopping point.)

Define "done" before you begin. A lot of task expansion happens because we never decided what finished looks like. Before you start, ask: what would make this complete? What does good enough look like here? Give the task an endpoint, not just a starting point.

Create your own deadlines. When external structure doesn't exist, build your own and treat it as real. Tell someone, put it on your calendar, set a timer. The brain responds to self-generated structure, especially once you've practiced taking your own limits seriously.

Work in shorter sprints. Rather than blocking a large chunk of time and hoping for the best, try shorter focused sessions with a break in between. Sustained attention has real limits, and working with those limits consistently outperforms pushing through them.

The goal isn't to squeeze more in, but to be more intentional about the time you assign to things because open-ended time often doesn't serve you as well as it seems like it should.

I share lots of specifics about the research and the practical application of giving yourself shorter time in episode 317 of the Positively Living® Podcast. Check it out here:

>> Listen to the podcast here

>> Read the blog post here

I encourage you to pay closer attention to how tasks expand and why, then use these tips so you can waste less time and focus on what really matters.​
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♥

Lisa

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Positively_Lisa

Productivity Coach + Podcast Host | Shame-free, Sustainable Solutions

I’m Lisa Zawrotny, a Productivity Coach, host of the Positively Living® Podcast, and founder of Positively Productive Systems, on a mission to redefine productivity with compassion. I help overwhelmed clients ditch hustle culture and design shame-free, personalized systems that lead to sustainable success—without burnout or sacrificing what they love. I believe productivity is meant to support a more satisfying, joy-filled life. For me, that means road-tripping with my husband and teens, making music with my family and friends, and inspiring others with my voice. One of my favorite ways to recharge is curling up with a book, an iced coffee, and a cat on my lap. ------------------------------------------- Check out the resources I offer below and request my Toolkit to reduce overwhelm, boost energy, and align your actions with your values!

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