You don’t have to do everything. That should come as a huge relief, but for most working moms it’s comes through as a bit of pat advice. But there is truth in the idea. Richards Koch describes it in his book, The 80/20 Principle: The secret to achieving more with less
In a nutshell, the 80/20 principles says that only 20% of your activity will account for 80% of your important outcomes. That means a whooping 80% of the things you do have little impact in the things that matter most to you!
If you’re willing to give the 80/20 principle a try, here’s how:
Get to the heart of what matters.
Using the 80/20 principle is about focusing on your “high-leverage tasks,” or the things that matter most. Problem is, many working moms aren’t clear about what matters most because they’re busy trying to make it through the day. Having a personal mission statement helps. If you don’t already have a one, put that on the top of today’s to-do list. I give instructions on how to do it here.
Rein in your to-do’s.
Evaluate everything you do, no matter how large or small the task. If it helps, write it all down. Then with your mission statement handy, go down your list and put a check next to only the activities that align with your mission – that’s your 20%. Figure out a way to minimize or eliminate the 80% stuff that is left unchecked.
Practice the 80/20 rule.
When you first apply the 80/20 principle, it’ll feel awkward. You’ll worry about the 80% of tasks that are being left undone (or delegated to someone else). Learning to 80/20 your busy life isn’t easy, nor will life fall perfectly into place overnight. Stick with it though. It works.
For more on the 80/20 principle and how it applies to working moms, be sure to check out the post I wrote in 2008: How Working Moms Put the 80/20 Rule into Action.
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