Using the 80/20 Rule to Manage Your Life and Work

The business world has been buzzing about the 80/20 Rule but what is it and how can you apply it to your life?

A Brief History

The 80/20 Rule, or Pareto Principle as it is sometimes called, was discovered in 1906 by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. Pareto discovered that 80% of the land in Italy and other countries he surveyed was owned by 20% of the population. He also found that he could apply this principle to other areas of his life.

What Is the 80/20 Rule?

The essence of the 80/20 Rule is that 80 percent of your outcome is derived from 20 percent of your efforts. This means that by focusing on the 20 percent of your tasks that are the most important, you will see 80 percent of the overall results coming from that concentrated effort.

Our days are made up of such huge time wasters like email, unnecessary meetings and other distractions. We're always busy but nothing ever seems to get done and we wonder why we are mentally and physically drained while a pile of work still waits to be done. The 80/20 Rule focuses on prioritizing your "to dos" in a way that allows you to concentrate on the most important things. For example, say you have five things on your to-do list. By applying the 80/20 Rule to your list, you are indicating that one of those five things is more important than the other four and should be done first.

How to Apply the 80/20 Rule to Your Work

The 80/20 Rule is a guideline. It isn't set in stone. Sometimes the ratio is going to be higher and sometimes it will be lower. The idea is that at least 80 percent of the time you should be concentrating on 20 percent of the most important things in your day which will in turn bring you 80 percent of the results.

• If you don't already make a daily "to do" list, now is a great time to start. Use a day planner or your computer's calendar management software to make a "to do" list each morning. Or better yet, make one the night before for the following day. That way you already know what you need to do before you even get started.
• Prioritize your list by using the ABC method. Put an A next to the priorities that are the most important, a B next to the ones that are less important and so on.
• If you have multiple tasks in the A, B or C category, put a 1, 2 or 3 next to them to indicate their order of importance.
• Do and review. Focus on completing the tasks with an A first. Particularly those that you have subcategorized with a number one. (Hint: This will be your 20%) If you finish, move onto the Bs and so on. Your "A" tasks which were most important have more value and will most likely produce more of a return for your efforts. The "B" and "C" categories are most likely filler tasks and you will probably not be any better or worse for doing them (or not).

Why the 80/20 Rule is Important

Would you rather be running ragged all day trying to do a million things or still have time and energy at the end of the day? By focusing on the things that are the most important, you will get more accomplished with less effort. Isn't that what we all strive for?
Using the 80/20 Rule in All Areas of Your Life
Although this principle is a great time management business tool, you can use the 80/20 Rule in other areas of your life as well. Here are some examples:

• Relationships - Spend 80 percent of your time with your partner focusing on the things that really matter to both of you. Do the things that make you happy and that you both enjoy. Spending time and effort on the little things in a relationship could make a huge difference.
• Health - By taking small amounts of time out of your day to exercise and plan meals, you will see positive changes in your health, physical appearance and overall well being.
• You-Take time for yourself. If you spend an hour each day doing something you enjoy, you will be much better off than over-scheduling your free time with unimportant things. Take some time out each day or on the weekend and block it out for things you enjoy doing. You'll find you are more rested, less stressed and more productive in all areas of your life.

By applying the 80/20 Rule, you will get more done in less time, receive greater rewards for your efforts and most importantly finally be in control of your busy life.