A triathlete’s life can be hectic. If you’re a busy working professional, you may have wondered at one point how you were going to fit in a bike ride, a swim, a nine-hour workday, pick up your child from soccer practice, and make a dinner that doesn’t involve heating up frozen chicken nuggets in the microwave. If you’re a student, you may wonder how you’re going to survive finals amidst training 20 hours a week. Even if you’re a high-volume pro, you still have responsibilities outside of training, like naps (not kidding), duties related to work or sponsorships, and maintaining meaningful relationships.
As we enter the new year and contemplate our quests for living well-rounded and fulfilling lives, the question of how to better spend our time again rears its head. High-achieving endurance athletes often find themselves juggling multiple responsibilities, from demanding work commitments and family life, to personal pursuits like triathlon training. Achieving balance can pose a challenge, yet investing a moment in thoughtful reflection on how to optimize task orientation can be worthwhile. One concept I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is Parkinson’s Law, which provides valuable insights into the delicate art of managing one's time effectively—specifically on how to efficiently approach tasks and minimize the time spent on unproductive work.
What is Parkinson’s Law?
Parkinson's Law states, "Work expands to fill the time available for its completion." The law was first articulated by British naval historian and author Cyril Northcote Parkinson in a humorous essay published in The Economist in 1955. The adage highlights the tendency for tasks to stretch out if there is no fixed deadline or if the allotted time is excessively generous. In the world of training and work, this principle can manifest in various ways.
PARKINSON’S LAW IN ACTION
We are all guilty of fulfilling Parkinson’s Law in training, though in no situation is it more vividly displayed than in the weight room. What should be a 20-30 minute strength session often morphs into an extended 90-minute affair. We're all familiar with those individuals who monopolize the squat rack, completing three sets in half an hour due to lengthy phone-scrolling breaks or unabashedly admiring their reflection in the mirror. An exercise that should wrap up in a quick 10 minutes somehow takes three times as long. Don’t be that person.
I’ve observed a similar phenomenon in business meetings. When I worked in the corporate world, it was common to attend a meeting for two hours (because that was the time allocated in the invite) and leave with a sense that it could have been a 15-minute meeting. With all participants feeling like they needed to say something, many times the same point would be repeated multiple times in various ways. Or, we would all get distracted and start discussing something unproductive and completely irrelevant to the purpose of the meeting. As a rule, most meetings could probably be effectively accomplished in 15% of the time. Or with an email (though, don’t give yourself 60 minutes to write an email that could be effectively written in 10 minutes).
HOW TO LEVERAGE PARKINSON’S LAW: structure and deadlines
As a coach, I’ve observed somewhat counterintuitively that the athletes who consistently do the work in training are actually busier than the more inconsistent athletes, and they tend to excel in business/career. Perhaps it is a testament to their intrinsic type-A personalities that these consistent athletes rise to the top of their vocation or industry and simply accomplish more. However, I also believe that the busier the athlete, the more structured they have to make their day. By necessity, these athletes rage against the insidious time-wasting related to Parkinson’s Law by deliberately planning training into their schedule. There are fewer thoughts of “well, I have all day to get in my run,” or “I’ll do this later.” They have a lot on their plate, so by necessity, they maximize their time. And they do this by setting self-imposed deadlines.
The #1 thing: The importance of setting deadlines for everything
Without clear deadlines, work tasks can take longer than necessary and spill over into your personal time, leaving little room for training, recovery, and everything else you need to do. Acknowledging Parkinson's Law should prompt you to set realistic deadlines for work tasks, preventing unnecessary procrastination and fostering a more efficient work environment.
A trick that has saved me hundreds of hours is converting my written “To Do List” each day into a “Deadline List” built into the calendar on my phone. Although a simple written to do list can generate some structure and focus, physically blocking out time for specific tasks on your calendar each day is a game changer. You will be shocked how much more efficiently you work simply because you set yourself a deadline. Those two emails you’ve been meaning to send won’t loom over your head if you have to send them out before lunch. And you won’t skip your strength session because you deliberately carved out a specific amount of time directly after your swim to get it done.
You can do more than you think: eliminate dead time (not downtime)
Parkinson's Law suggests that tasks tend to expand to fill the time available, but it also implies that individuals often underestimate their ability to accomplish tasks efficiently. Indeed, tasks can also shrink to fill the time available. Triathletes can leverage this insight by optimizing dead time during work breaks or intervals between meetings. Quick, focused workouts, such as body weight strength sessions or short lunch runs can be incorporated into these time blocks, maximizing productivity and maintaining a balance between work and training.
The importance of scheduling rest and downtime
In our “hustle” culture, the desire to accomplish more, or the feeling that we aren’t maximizing every mote of our potential, can generate anxiety. Burnout is real. As such, balancing work and triathlon training also necessitates recognizing the importance of rest and recovery. Overcommitting to either work or training without allowing sufficient time to recharge can lead to burnout and a decay in performance. Parkinson's Law, in this context, serves as a reminder to allocate time for deep rest, ensuring a healthy balance between exertion and rejuvenation.
Conclusion
In the dynamic interplay of work, triathlon training, and other responsibilities, Parkinson's Law offers valuable insights into effective time management. By setting realistic deadlines, creating structured schedules, and prioritizing tasks, individuals can navigate the challenges of balancing work and training. Acknowledging the principles of Parkinson's Law enables triathletes to maximize their efficiency, ensuring that both their professional and personal pursuits coexist for a well-rounded and fulfilling life.
Conrad Goeringer is an Ironman Certified Coach based out of Nashville, TN. He is the founder of Working Triathlete and author of the book The Working Triathlete. His passion is helping athletes of all levels and with all schedules achieve their endurance goals. Reach out to learn more about coaching packages and for a free consultation.