“Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”
This is Parkinson's Law. Originally coined in an essay for The Economist, it has since been adapted across economics, management, and productivity. It's the reason why a simple task that should take an hour somehow stretches to fill an entire afternoon.
As humans, we are naturally inclined to low-inertia behaviors. If your mind knows you have six months to finish a project, it will tell you it’s okay to take things slowly. You end up losing precious time — time that could be spent on your side projects, self-care, or actually relaxing.
The Effort–Time Trade-off
One of the most important concepts to grasp is that more time spent on a problem doesn’t always equal better results. In fact, there is a sweet spot for completion:
| Scenarios | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Too much time | Wasted hours, over-engineering, and unnecessary fluff. |
| Too little time | Burnout, high stress, and frustration. |
| Optimal window | The "best time" for completion where effort peaks without diminishing returns. |
Important Disclaimer
While awareness of Parkinson’s Law is a powerful productivity tool, it should never be used to justify an unhealthy workload. I hate the "hustle culture" as much as anyone. Stretching a project for an unnecessary amount of time can sometimes be more beneficial than gaining unnecessary stress and burnout. Take this advice with a grain of salt and adapt it to your own personality.
How to Stop the Expansion
If you find yourself subdividing tasks across months when they could be done in weeks, here are four practical ways to fight back:
1. Ignore the formal deadline
When planning, ignore the deadline your boss or professor gave you. Ask yourself these questions instead:
- How much time do I reasonably need to finish this?
- What specific resources do I need to tackle it?
- How much deep work can I realistically dedicate to this daily?
If your estimation is shorter than the formal deadline, you’ve already won.
2. Break it into chunks
Divide your project into granular sub-tasks. Using a digital calendar or a simple spreadsheet can help you visualize the total hours required.
For example, if a project needs 40 hours of work, don't spread it over six months. Commit to 4 hours of focused work per day for 10 working days, and you're done in two weeks.
3. Fake your own deadlines
This is a hack I’ve been using for years. If a project is due in January, I schedule my internal "hard" deadline for December.
This creates a one-month buffer. If something goes wrong, you have extra time to iterate and polish without the anxiety of a real deadline loomng over you. Just make sure you find someone to hold you accountable to your fake date.
4. Calendar blocking
Finally, schedule your deep work sessions as unmovable blocks in your calendar. Treat them with the same respect as a meeting or a flight.
Consistency is key. While you need to be disciplined, having that buffer allows you to be flexible when life inevitably gets in the way. Saving enough time for a final revision will ensure your work is top-notch when you finally turn it in.