ARTICLE

The 80/20 Rule for Leaders: Do Less, Achieve More

by Shanda K. Miller

John leads a team of coders. At 8:00 on Monday morning, he sat down at his desk and opened his email. By the end of the day, he needed to finish reviewing his team's new software update.

But it was Monday, and he'd feel better if he checked email first. Ninety minutes later, he'd skimmed two newsletters, filled out a training survey, and followed up on administrative requests.

Then he noticed the pile of paper on his desk. He sorted it. At 10:00 he finally thought, "I'd better get to that review."

At 10:30, a team member popped in with a coding question. That turned into a problem-solving session that ran past 11:00. By noon, John had been at work for four hours. He had done one hour of focused work.

Can you relate? I know I've had days like this.

The Pareto Principle in Plain English

John knew his priorities. His problem wasn't effort. It was that he spent his best hours on things that didn't matter much.

That's the Pareto Principle at work, also called the 80/20 Rule. It says that for many events, about 20% of the causes create 80% of the effects.

Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist, noticed it in income. Twenty percent of the people owned 80% of the land. Others have found the same pattern elsewhere. About 20% of a software's defects cause 80% of its problems. In many businesses, 80% of sales revenue comes from 20% of clients.

What It Means for Your Workday

Apply that to your own day. Of everything an average worker does in an average workday, only about 20% really matters. That 20% produces 80% of the results.

So most of what fills your day isn't moving the needle. Email, paperwork, drop-ins, and meetings can eat the whole day while your biggest goal sits untouched.

Here's the shift. Instead of asking, "How do I get more done?" ask, "What are the few things that get me results?" Then put most of your energy there.

Most time management advice focuses on getting a lot done. It rarely asks whether you're getting the right things done. Those are very different goals.

Step 1: Get Clear on Your Top Priority

You can't focus on the vital 20% until you know what it is. Every day, decide the one most important thing you need to work on. Ask yourself:

  • What's my biggest goal right now?

  • Which deliverables or work products relate to that goal?

If you're working on a project with milestones, your priority is the work needed to reach the next one. Then plan your days and weeks around it. Take a few minutes each day to update your to-do list and check your calendar.

Step 2: Protect Blocks of Focused Time

This is where most leaders lose the game. The days of bragging about multitasking are over. Multitasking doesn't make us more productive. It reduces focus and concentration, so everything takes longer.

What we call multitasking is really switch-tasking. Every time we switch, we need time to find our place again. John lost that time with every interruption.

Gary Keller and Jay Papasan, in The One Thing, recommend a four-hour block of uninterrupted focus every day. If four hours isn't doable, schedule two two-hour blocks.

If you can, schedule them when you're most alert. For most people, that's first thing in the morning.

Then protect that block like you'd protect an hour with your boss. Tell your team and your boss why it matters. Work on your biggest priority and nothing else.

Step 3: Do the Hard Thing First

Our most important tasks are usually the hardest. They take the most mental energy, and they're often the ones we like least. So we tackle the small stuff instead, just like John did.

Flip that order. Do the difficult task first, while you have the energy. You'll also build a sense of accomplishment and momentum for the rest of the day.

Mark Twain is often credited with this advice: "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first."

Step 4: Let Go of the Other 80%

Here's the uncomfortable part. When you focus on the vital 20%, other things will pile up. Keller and Papasan say living with some chaos is necessary to achieve great results. I agree.

For tasks that don't line up with your top goals, you can batch them. Group your administrative tasks, errands, phone calls, and emails into set times.

For everything else, use the four Ds from Julie Morgenstern's book, Never Check E-mail in the Morning:

  • Delete. Ask what's the worst that will happen if you skip it. If it doesn't move you toward your goals, let it go.

  • Delegate. Can a team member or support person do it?

  • Delay. If it's important but has no deadline, put it off.

  • Diminish. Reduce the scope. What's the minimum this task needs?

Meetings deserve a look too. Use them sparingly, and give each one a clear purpose and outcome. Don't use a meeting just to share information. Send it in writing beforehand.

Why This Beats Working Longer

I know the pull to put in more hours. I don't recommend it. Research has found that more hours at work don't lead to more productivity. Overwork raises stress, impairs sleep, and causes other health problems.

Taking nights and weekends off makes you more productive while you're at work. You'll focus on the things that matter and make fewer mistakes.

Keller and Papasan make the point well: "The people who achieve extraordinary results don't achieve them by working more hours. They achieve them by getting more done in the hours they work."

That's the 80/20 Rule in one sentence.

Try It This Week

You don't have to overhaul your calendar. Start small:

  • Name your top priority every morning before you open email.

  • Block one focused session on your calendar this week and guard it.

  • Do your hardest task first on at least three days.

  • Pick three items on your to-do list and delete, delegate, delay, or diminish them.

Notice what changes. You might find you can leave on time and still hit your goals.

Remember, our goal isn't to jam more into the day. It's to get the right things done. Do less, and let the vital 20% do the heavy lifting.

What’s your vital 20% this week?

Send me an email. I’d love to hear from you.

shanda (at) becomeasuperleader.com

Heads up: This post is adapted from my book From Supervisor to Super Leader with the help of AI, but thoroughly reviewed and edited by me.

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