Cyril Northcote Parkinson learned something significant about procrastination while working in the British Civil Service.

He authored roughly 60 books and essays, which include the one he is most famous for. "Parkinson's Law" was published in 1957, and it can help you procrastinate less and get more done. 

While you can question his egocentric nature for naming a discovery after himself, what you can't question is the impact of the predictable process he wrote about.  

"Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." 

This is Parkinson's Law. Parkinson, at different times in his life, a professor of history, a captain in the Queen's Royal Regiment, a British civil servant, humorist, and British naval historian, named his discovery a law because he found it was so prevalent that it was basically a law of nature where human endeavors are concerned. 

If you assign a certain amount of time to complete a job, the job will require all that time. How can this knowledge help you procrastinate less and get more done personally and professionally? It's easy. Expect more of yourself. 

Shorten the Time Available for a Task to Be Completed 

Imagine that you have some task that usually takes you about two weeks from start to finish. Why does it take two weeks? Is this something that has always been done a certain way? A process may have been in place forever, and you are the next person to use that process. It usually takes about 14 days to reach the finish line. 

If you have done this before, look back at your results. How many times did you finish the task early? According to Mr. Parkinson, that doesn't happen too frequently. Since your mind loves planning, order, and discipline, telling it you have two weeks to complete something will shuffle and juggle all your responsibilities to make that happen. 

What if you decided instead to say you only have a week or ten days to complete the task? 

Unless some daily involvement requires two full weeks of effort, you can make it happen in a shorter timeframe. Try this with any task, responsibility, or goal you must tackle. 

Give Yourself Challenging but Achievable Due Dates 

Get aggressive. Start expecting more productivity from yourself, your employees, your relationships, and everyone in your life. More productivity means more free time. It also lets you accomplish so much more. You come to the end of an assignment quicker, allowing you to spend time chasing down another dream or just relaxing. 

Understand that in many cases, the amount of time you give to a task will be required for completion. In other words, many tasks that take three or four days could be finished in a day or two. Use Parkinson's Law to help you set more aggressive but reasonable deadlines. Your productivity, free time, and quality of life will thank you.

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