Who doesn’t want to become more productive? 

A more productive self will get more work done in a shorter period of time, leaving more time to do what you want. Whether that’s spending time with your family, your side project, or committing more time to your job. 

In a Medium article, the author, Toni Koraza discusses the Productivity Triangle and how it can help you become a more productive person.

Parkinson’s Law

At some point in your life, you may have experienced Parkinson’s Law. Think back to your school days, when you only had a few days to study for your final exam, which you later on passed with flying colors. 

The Law states that the “work expands so as to fill the time available for it’s completion.” Essentially stating that the less time we have to complete something, the more productive we will be at completing it. 

When you have a time constraint, your brain will focus on the essential information. The Law suggests that you give yourself the least amount of time possible to finish the task. You can stick to this by setting timers to complete each task. 

If you lead a team, Koraza suggests applying Moores Law to your team. “Give them a task and ask them to report back with their work in 2 to 3 hours. See what happens. There is a high chance they’ll accomplishing more with the set timeframe.”

Pareto’s Principle

Pareto’s Principle is also known as the 80/20 rule— “80% of the outcome comes from 20% of the action.”

“If you work in sales, you’ll notice that most of the revenue comes from a few clients. Usually, the top 3 or 4 clients make the most purchases. And more times then not, they’re the least of your troubles. They don’t ask too many questions. … On the other hand, the bottom 50 clients nag you with refunds and follow-up questions. These people are time wasters. The more time you spent discussing the product, the less time you’ll have for the important stuff.”

Koraza suggests to filter what’s important and to focus on them. By doing so, you will get 80% more time, and 80% less trouble for 20% of work.

Singular Focus

The singular focus approach tells you to cut out multitasking and ignore time-wasters. Multitasking can ruin your productivity by making your mind switch gears and giving it time to adjust. 

In order to take on this approach you need to clear your desk of distractions. Koraza suggests leaving reminders (post-it notes) of new tasks on your desk, removing your phone, and/or putting headphones on. Music can help some focus, but can also distract others. If music distracts you, just simply putting on your headphones. That statement alone will keep people at bay from distracting you.

Using the productivity triangle will help you with remaining productive and making the most of your time.