Have you ever heard of Pareto’s Law? Pareto was an Italian economist who confirmed that 80% of our results in our work is determined by 20% of our time spent. It’s called the 80/20 Rule.
So think about it, if 80% of our success is based on 20% of our efforts, then aren’t we wasting a LOT of time on things that are not going to give us results?
SMACK, right?
I hadn’t thought about the 80/20 rule in years when I came across it in a book the other day.
If 80% of my clients choose to work with me based on 20% of what I say and do, then I really need to think about unloading some extra baggage, right?
What are my imperatives?
What are YOUR imperatives?
I brought this up to a client recently and asked her to apply the 80/20 rule to her goals, and then we took a hard look at her 80/20.
Do you want to know what she determined was her #1 time waster? The area where she spent the most time and got the least return?
It was THINKING about her business.
She realized she spent hours all day “thinking” about what she could maybe do.
She spent hours “thinking” about how everyone else was getting what they want and how she wasn’t.
She spent 80% of her time wishing her situation was different.
Out of 100% of the hours she was spending to build her dream, she could unequivocally say that she spent the most time on *thinking* and the least on *doing*. The “doing” was the part that was getting results, but, instead, she just thought a LOT–80% worth–about it.
It seems to me that if she spent less time thinking & more time doing, she could totally increase her results…of course, I wasn’t a math major.
Here’s a little confession: I like coaching more than I like running a business. (GASP! Shocking, right?)
Give me the choice and I’ll be on the phone supporting one of my awesome clients in a heartbeat over writing a challenge or creating a funnel. Getting in the trenches with my clients totally lights me up.
I also like the writing.
You want to know the thing I hated the most that sucked up sooooo much of my time and interfered with all the stuff I’m good at? MAKING GRAPHICS. I do NOT enjoy making graphics. (Hat’s off to you who do ‘cause gag.)
So when I hired my virtual assistant, I was elated that she was cool to do graphics for me. Seriously, she could’ve made a graphic of a rat using the toilet and I would’ve been happy simply because I didn’t have to (and NOW I tell her. lol)
Now, you can visit my Instagram page @BelindaUnhooked and you can totally see when I stopped doing what I didn’t like and trusted someone else. Kim has created a masterpiece, if I do say so myself. When I look at my Instagram page now, I have to be careful not to “like” it so I don’t seem like a dork.
Here’s the thing, I stopped doing something I didn’t enjoy that choked up a large percentage of my time. I handed it over to someone on my team who shares my vision. And now? I have more time to focus on what I love.
I’m pairing down to the 20%. I’m making my work more efficient, and I’m LOVING it.
Time is a finite resource, Beautifuls.
We have enough time to change the world. Let’s make sure we’re using it wisely.