80/20 Rule in Time Management

Being busy is not the same as being productive, according to Pareto’s principle.

Entrepreneurs, small business owners, and self-employed individuals often feel they have to work excessive hours to produce profits and avoid working for someone else.

This type of behavior actually creates a skewed work-life balance that can become unhealthy, lead to burnout, decrease productivity, and even give up on goals that once seemed so important.

To avoid this cycle, it is better to identify the 20 percent of tasks related to creating income that leads to the highest payoff. This includes what pays well now as what will pay off the highest dividends down the road.

With the time you save on your work tasks by using the 80 20 principles, you have more time to devote to personal enrichment, relaxation, exercise, mental health, and relationship building.

Apply the same Pareto analysis to these items. Identify your most important relationships to devote time and energy to and the activities in your personal life that bring you the most happiness and greatest health. Make these your daily priority.

Read the full article from Brian Tracy.