Hey freelancers, why do your writing projects take you all the way up to the deadline to complete?
It’s because you’re making a key time management mistake: you’re letting yourself fall victim to Parkinson’s Law.
Parkinson’s Law? Huh?
Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.
—Cyril Northcote Parkinson
This famous quote is the first sentence in an essay that Parkinson, a British historian and author, wrote in a 1955 article for The Economist. It’s been applied to both business and government bureaucracies.
But it also applies to you and your freelance writing. (And many other areas of your life, like household chores)
Here’s How You Beat Parkinson’s Law
Be careful how much time you give yourself to finish a project. If you are like many people, you’ll dilly-dally away the hours writing slowly, procrastinating, and letting myriad distractions draw you away from the task. And you could find yourself actually finishing late. That’s very poor time management.
Time Management: Set Tight Deadlines — And Meet Them
If you’re working on a big project, break it into smaller chunks. Set a time to complete a chunk that you know will require you to work quickly and with complete focus. Then start a timer set for the allotted time and get going. (I use an electronic kitchen timer, but you can use a stopwatch, an electronic watch, or a simple computer program.)
Ramp Up Your Competitive Instinct
See how fast and how well you can get a task done. If it’s a writing project, break it down to a certain number of words in a certain time, and drive yourself to get it done in an even shorter time. You’ll eventually find that you write faster and better and get more done. Just be sure you’re still doing high-quality work.
A Non-Writing Example
I set time deadlines for my strength-training workouts. I go as fast as I can from one exercise to another without allowing myself to rest (although I don’t rush the actual weight sets; it’s important to have perfect posture and movement and timing). This way I get my strength training completed more quickly, and I also turn strength training into an aerobic workout.
Your Take
Has Parkinson’s Law hurt you in your writing career and your life? Any wisdom to share about how you beat Parkinson’s Law?
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Twitter: @millercathy
Hi John: You’re like that little guilty conscience whispering in my ear.
I do think you need to balance extra time for the unforeseen and working productively. When that added time starts being your excuse – I still have time is when you get in trouble.
Great post, John.
Cathy Miller recently posted…Guest Post Offers Steps for Building a Successful Business Blog
Cathy, whenever I can I like to get ahead on my projects. Sometimes they take longer than I think they will, or something else comes up later that requires my time.
For me thwarting Parkinson’s Law reduces my stress.
John Soares recently posted…How the Web Changes Your Brain and Hurts Your Life
Twitter: @LoriWidmer
I’m always running ahead of that law, I swear. Since I’m ridiculous about deadlines, I don’t miss them, but I do find myself sitting down and thinking “Oh, I have plenty of time, so let’s just play a game of Solitaire….”
I try to work breaks into my day to avoid that. I’ll work from 9 until 11, then take a break for Facebook, email, games. My mind is still actively engaged, so the puzzle lets me wind down slowly.
Lori, I also work in breaks for e-mail, etc., but I try to make my breaks physical as much as possible.
For example, I take a 15-minute break mid-morning for yoga, a 45-minute break late morning for tai chi, a 30-60-minute break mid-afternoon for a walk/hike and perhaps more tai chi.
John Soares recently posted…My New Freelance Writer Business Card
And I’ve also been reading more lately, primarily mysteries by Steven Saylor about a detective in ancient republican Rome.
John Soares recently posted…Simplicity and the Successful Freelancer
Twitter: @delenasilverfox
I’m that way about housework and homework. I used to be one of those extremely easily-stressed-out people who would freak if a project –or homework assignment– was turned in “only” a day or so early. I can’t relax until the project is done, and with back-to-back projects, those days purchased with an early turn-in are the only relaxation my mind gives me. I treasure that time, otherwise I’m would tighter than a spring with no reprieve.
For me, that type of procrastination (to me it’s procrastination) of Parkinsons Law is a sign of burnout. When I stop caring about getting something completed early, take my time lollygagging, turn things in under the wire, it’s the biggest sign I have stopped caring about my work or my effort.
Time to change things up a bit.
Delena Silverfox recently posted…Thinkin’ about books
Good for you Delena! There aren’t that many writers who finish projects, work or otherwise, so early.
I also find that I feel very good when I finish early.
John Soares recently posted…The Four Key Benefits of Writing Well
Twitter: @allindiewriters
Great topic John. While I’m obsessively early about most things in life (getting somewhere, finishing holiday shopping, planning a family party, etc.), with work procrastination can be a big issue. There’s always so much to do that I can easily distract myself from one project with another if I don’t feel like doing something.
Setting my own deadlines helps. But two other things have helped more lately:
1. The accountability lists on Anne and Lori’s forum — I load my schedule for the week with as much as possible. And while I know it’s impossible to finish all of it in a week, it pushes me to get more done than I otherwise would. I feel like I have to challenge myself to do more when others can see what I’m up to.
2. Sometimes I turn my work day into a game. I use e.ggtimer.com to time short bursts of work (usually the Pomodoro 25-5 minute cycle for a few rounds). The short breaks recharge me and I work much faster when I want to finish something before that buzzer goes off.
Jenn Mattern recently posted…Freelance Writers: Why Should People Care About You?
I love the accountability idea Jenn. I’ve been doing it lately with my girlfriend, and she helps to keep me on my toes.
I also use the game technique. For me it’s a race to see how fast I can get something done, and I also use a timer. I don’t do more than 60 minutes at a time before a 5-10 minute (occasionally longer) break.
John Soares recently posted…The Freelance Writing Project Hiding in Your Spam Folder
Twitter: @shurleyhall
So true, John. I work much better to tight deadlines and try to plan my work so they are spaced out to give me enough time to complete the job without having so much time that I’m tempted to procrastinate.
Sharon Hurley Hall recently posted…Writing Podcasts from Get Paid to Write Online
I just got offered an assignment a few minutes ago with really tight deadlines. Still trying to get all the details, but definitely no room to procrastinate if I take it!
John Soares recently posted…The Best Freelance Writing Locations
Hi John, love your site. In this area I can def relate. I can say that the general hours in which a person works doesn’t always work for people who are creative such as artists and the like. It is usually in the hours of late night hours when ideas spring & I start drawing, writing, sketching to bring the idea that was spinning in my head to finally come alive. I do have a plan to write a book in honor of my Father, as he always wanted to write a book. I feel his story during his time is very historical & many people who know the story feel it needs to be carried out. I really feel this may help. Maybe there is a reason for this.
Thanks for your kind words Carla.
You definitely need to honor your own work rhythms. My tai chi teacher is a total night owl. It’s in the early morning hours that he composes most of his songs.
Good luck with the book about your father.
John Soares recently posted…How to Be a Healthy Freelancer
Twitter: @scottpostma
John,
Great post! I’ve seen this happen to me time and time again, when I’m not intentional about keeping my nose to the grindstone, so to speak. While I’m pretty good at meeting deadlines, I’m usually cramming toward the end instead of staying steadily persistent from start to finish. Thanks again.
SP
scott postma recently posted…Field Notes from Sunday’s Service: November 11, 2012
Glad it helped Scott. It’s important to get yourself to finish things early whenever possible, and to get them done as efficiently as possible.
John Soares recently posted…How to Get More Freelance Writing Assignments
Twitter: @problogsuccess
Setting tight deadlines and sticking to them always has worked for me. I give myself no excuse, whatsoever, to procrastinate when I have something serious going on. I take my deadlines seriously. At the same time, when I start writing something without a set deadline, I can see the difference – I always tend to procrastinate that writing task.
Jane recently posted…3 Simple Email Marketing Tips That Are Often Ignored By Internet Marketers
Jane, it sounds like you have developed real strength in focusing on your projects. I really like the “no excuse” approach.
John Soares recently posted…Simplicity and the Successful Freelancer
Twitter: @TiceWrites
Love this post, John!
I’ve always said that the task expands to fill all the available time…just didn’t know that principle had a name.
I’m just now trying to get out of working that 8-midnight shift I fell into when I was building my blog, and it’s amazing how I’m managing to get it all done without those extra hours once I drew that line.
Carol Tice | Make a Living Writing recently posted…How to Unleash Your Creativity and Let Your Writer’s Spirit Soar
Carol, I’m also trying to keep my workdays to a tolerable length. I just accepted a big rush project that means I really have to maintain a high productivity level.
I am taking this afternoon off so I can enjoy the last days of fall color before the first of a series of storms hits.
John Soares recently posted…The Best Freelance Writing Locations
Twitter: @annewayman
Oh how well I know this one and mostly I don’t do it anymore on writing projects… I know about how long a writing project should take and that’s pretty much what I spend on it now… after years of practice.
It’s new tech stuff that can eat up time because of the learning curve. I haven’t found a way to predict that, have you?
Anne Wayman recently posted…Freelance Writers Need To Avoid The One Client Syndrome
Anne, I have to learn to use two new pieces of software for one of my projects, and I never really know how long it will take to gain the necessary level of proficiency. I have been procrastinating a bit on those!
John Soares recently posted…The Freelance Writing Project Hiding in Your Spam Folder
Twitter: @luanatf
My real problem is a sort of psychological ‘label’ I gave myself back in high school, when I had a severe nervous breakdown from excessive studying and lack of sleep. I ended up with a big fear of completing work, whether it’s really work or just finishing a novel (reading) or a game level. As I approach the end of something, panic attacks arise.
I’m still working on my own mind to get rid of this nuisance. I hate it wholeheartedly. Heh! I’d rather procrastinate because I want to hang out with my friends than having to deal with this— not a professional thing, I know, but it would be less painful than this inner conflict.
(I’m immersed in the conflict right NOW, struggling to finish two client’s blog posts that I really feel happy about– talk about the absurdities of human mind! ^^”)
~ Luana S.
Luana Spinetti @ Writer’s Mind recently posted…Writing Innocence, Where Have You Gone? — The Adult’s Writer’s Block (And How To Get Rid Of It)
Luana, thanks for sharing your situation.
Why do you think you are concerned about completing a writing project?
John Soares recently posted…How to Get More Freelance Writing Assignments
Twitter: @luanatf
I’m not sure… but I guess it has to do with a subconscious association between completing tasks and nervous breakdowns.
A trick I thought about would be making a writing project a tad longer, so that when my brain starts to send out alarm signs, the assignment would be completed (and the mock addition removed).
I’ll give that a try and let you know how it goes.
~ Luana S.
Sounds like a good plan Luana.
Keep us updated!
John Soares recently posted…How the Web Changes Your Brain and Hurts Your Life
Twitter: @luanatf
Thanks, John!
And forgive the typos and the bad choice of terms, if you can. I had my fiancé and a classmate talk at me in Italian and I find it difficult to think in two languages simultaneously. ^^”
Best,
~ Luana S.
I fixed your minor typing error.
I lived in Sweden in my early twenties and taught myself Swedish. I know what it’s like to try to write in one language when people are talking to you in another.
John Soares recently posted…When Is the Best Time for You to Write?
I think EVERYONE is guilty of procrastinating, and could definitely get something out of this! Great article, thanks for writing!
I always say, “I eat deadlines for breakfast.” But somehow, that breakfast seems to extend to lunch, worse, midnight snack. That’s procrastination to the highest level. Whew!
After reading this, I make sure to really eat my breakfast…fast!
Jeulyanna recently posted…The Three Musketeers – “Deadly” for Sony
Eating healthy and modest-sized meals will give you the energy to keep yourself from procrastinating.
Almost breakfast time for me…
John Soares recently posted…When Is the Best Time for You to Write?
{ 1 trackback }