80:20 Principle

Pareto Principle 80:20 rule

80% of the outputs result from 20% of the inputs. To increase your productivity and effectiveness, you need to focus on the 20% of high-impact activities, and de-focus on the 80% low-impact activities.

Productivity quote by Kevin Johnson - Normally, these crucial tasks demand more time, energy, and focus than we care to give. Thus, we avoid them, doing those simpler tasks that really don’t have a major impact on our business.

Personal example: Out of more than 120 wholesale customers, a mere 5 were bringing in 95% of the revenue. I was spending 98% of my time chasing the remainder.

More customers is not the goal: Remember, more customers is not automatically more income. More customers is not the goal and often translates into 90% more housekeeping and a paltry 1–3% increase in income. Make no mistake, maximum income from minimal necessary effort (including minimum number of customers) is the primary goal.

Tim Ferris – Author – 4-hour workweek / Tools of Titans / Tribe of Mentors

Top Books on the 80:20 Principle

Other concepts on Productivity

Productivity - Eliminate > Automate > Delegate

Eliminate > Automate > Delegate

We get so tied down in mundane day-to-day and other routine activities, that it becomes virtually impossible to find the time to work on our more important strategic and longer-term goals. There is a simple solution – ELIMINATE > AUTOMATE > DELEGATE.

Productivity - Being Busy

Being Busy

People get so tied down in getting things done, that they often lose sight of what it the real outcome (or value) of all the things that they are doing. Being Busy is often a sign of a person who has not prioritized his/her activities and is working on low-value repetitive tasks, with little to show in terms of results. There is no virtue in being busy. What matters are your results.

Productivity - Focus

Focus

A flow state (or being in the zone) is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. This leads to a tremendous boost in productivity and enjoyment, in anything that you do.

productivity - Parkinsons Law

Parkinsons Law

Parkinson’s Law dictates that a task will swell in (perceived) importance and complexity in relation to the time allotted for its completion. Want to complete something in less time, budget less time for it and it will get done.