20/80 at work

[Sven]

Have you found stunning ways to apply the 20/80 principle?

Let us know!

[Sven]

I work on my boat a lot doing a very labour intensive and exhausting work.

I started by getting there trough traffic jams then working hard for 6 hours, being very tired at the end, then going back trough trafic jams.

I now go later, after rush hour and some relaxing work. Then work for four hours after which my performance plummits anyway. Going back trough the only rush hour I have that day. Higer productivity, less agrevation.

[KeyboardGeek]

In my job I also avoid the rush hour traffic. I leave for work early and stay those extra few hours to avoid the rush hour home. I take a large lunch break though and sometime sit in the company cafe with my eyes closed, meditating (or that's what you'd think looking at me).

My productivity is way higher and when I get home I'm not so stressed out or tired. I do hate my job though.. lol

[AntonTheKhan]

I finish my work in half the time that Im paid to finish it. So when the boss isnt looking I surf the internet or plan other muses.
It is frustrating to be paid on the time you put in, when you can clearly show the same results in less time.
Oh well. I can't depend on an employer to make my life easy, so I take it in my own hands.

[final_id]

I finish my work in half the time that Im paid to finish it. So when the boss isnt looking I surf the internet or plan other muses.
It is frustrating to be paid on the time you put in, when you can clearly show the same results in less time.
Oh well. I can't depend on an employer to make my life easy, so I take it in my own hands.


Don't complain! You could be in the opposite situation -- paid for a total amount of work which "should" take you an average work day to complete, but only theoretically, when in actual fact it takes you more time than that. I think many many people in "typical" office jobs find themselves in that situation. They're asked to do more than can competently be done in an average day, so they're given the choice between (A.) doing a lot of poor-quality work (and risking getting fired for doing such a bad job at each item) or (B.) doing less of their work than the total expectation (and risking getting fired for failing to accomplish the minimum requirements). I have had this situation in every single office job I've ever been in (and I'm a pretty bright, rapid-working guy -- it's not that I'm totally slow and inept; it's that the "system" is DESIGNED to put people in that circumstance). People end up like this because they are proud to get a promotion, have a little more money and responsibility, then find that taking on the new work means staying until the work is done, regardless of how much extra the boss puts on you. And since you can't say, "Hey, I'm not getting it all done ALREADY, you can't make me do even MORE!" without looking like you can't do your job, you get stuck with it. They "guilt" you into having to acquiesce.

Or, at least, if you haven't read 4HWW you get "guilted." So don't complain! If you have "free time" at work, use it to become more productive in other fields, preferably those where you get paid rather than your company getting paid and you only benefiting by proxy.

[datangeL82]

Don't complain! You could be in the opposite situation -- paid for a total amount of work which "should" take you an average work day to complete, but only theoretically, when in actual fact it takes you more time than that. I think many many people in "typical" office jobs find themselves in that situation. They're asked to do more than can competently be done in an average day, so they're given the choice between (A.) doing a lot of poor-quality work (and risking getting fired for doing such a bad job at each item) or (B.) doing less of their work than the total expectation (and risking getting fired for failing to accomplish the minimum requirements). I have had this situation in every single office job I've ever been in (and I'm a pretty bright, rapid-working guy -- it's not that I'm totally slow and inept; it's that the "system" is DESIGNED to put people in that circumstance). People end up like this because they are proud to get a promotion, have a little more money and responsibility, then find that taking on the new work means staying until the work is done, regardless of how much extra the boss puts on you. And since you can't say, "Hey, I'm not getting it all done ALREADY, you can't make me do even MORE!" without looking like you can't do your job, you get stuck with it. They "guilt" you into having to acquiesce.

This is how my job is. I get more work than I can possibly do and I am looked upon as lazy when it doesn't get done. However, I did find that when I got rid of stuff that was not serving me just sitting around my home that I had less stuff to worry about or clean. So that is how it has worked for me. Speaking of which I need to get rid of some more stuff ...

[AntonTheKhan]

Don't complain! You could be in the opposite situation -- paid for a total amount of work which "should" take you an average work day to complete, but only theoretically, when in actual fact it takes you more time than that. I think many many people in "typical" office jobs find themselves in that situation. They're asked to do more than can competently be done in an average day, so they're given the choice between (A.) doing a lot of poor-quality work (and risking getting fired for doing such a bad job at each item) or (B.) doing less of their work than the total expectation (and risking getting fired for failing to accomplish the minimum requirements). I have had this situation in every single office job I've ever been in (and I'm a pretty bright, rapid-working guy -- it's not that I'm totally slow and inept; it's that the "system" is DESIGNED to put people in that circumstance). People end up like this because they are proud to get a promotion, have a little more money and responsibility, then find that taking on the new work means staying until the work is done, regardless of how much extra the boss puts on you. And since you can't say, "Hey, I'm not getting it all done ALREADY, you can't make me do even MORE!" without looking like you can't do your job, you get stuck with it. They "guilt" you into having to acquiesce.

Or, at least, if you haven't read 4HWW you get "guilted." So don't complain! If you have "free time" at work, use it to become more productive in other fields, preferably those where you get paid rather than your company getting paid and you only benefiting by proxy.

I absolutely agree with you. I do try to use my down time wisely, but when they catch me researching keywords for my business online, it is frowned upon, lol. Actually Im blessed with my current job, tho it doesnt pay well at all.
I have worked on salary + commission before and in a pretty independent position and I loved that, because I was able to show results (sales really) and it didn't matter whether I barely lifted a finger or worked myself to death.

[JFrenzel]

Hello,

This is what I have done. I looked at my closet and realized I wear about 20% of my closet 80% of the time. So i got rid of 60% of my closet.

Further things I do, I make all my important calls in a chunk, usually in the morning. I then move to emails and check and send them all in one chunk.


Hope this helps

Jose