At iSPARX™ we’ve been exploring a 10 hour working week…
The notion is that the Perato Principle applies to our daily productivity, we charge for a 10 hour day on our rate card but we produce most of the days work in just a couple of hours. The Pareto principle (also known as the 80/20 rule) is a phenomenon that states that 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes; 20% of your effort reaps 80% of your productivity.
We consider that our team are optimally productive for 2 hours of our typical day 10 hour day. We get 80% output in 2 hours of our day according to the principle. So we wonder why we don’t just concentrate on that time — our best & most productive 2 hours of the day.
We’re now structuring our schedules as 10 hour working weeks.
This might seem appealing — working 2 hours a day. But there’s a catch. There is always a catch. We estimate that less than 20% of the population or potential employees we might attract are capable of working based on output. Of that capable 20% approximately half are not interested or available; the remaining half are likely already content in their practice, are self employed (& contractable)… only a few remain & we need to find them before they enter the conventional workforce or are committed to a secure institution or facility. Occasionally we can extract a capable body from normality.
By habit & the culture of what we do, we’re “at work” more than 10 hours a day & we don’t take holidays or leave. We take time off whenever we need or want. But we’re never away from work for more than a few hours & we’re always on call. The idea of “remotely working” is amusing to us as we tend to work where ever we happen to be. We’re mobile with roaming data.
Our work is creative by nature & requires talent in process. We love what we do. We love our work life… so no matter what we decide the work hours are we’ll be at work typically. This is not a choice. Our work is a big part of our personalities. We are what we work.
This idea that we are what we work has history. Literally genealogy. Surnames. As societies became more complex or were colonised these distinguishing names became fixed and were passed on to the next generation.
The nature of the surnames depends on what was important to the society at the time surnames were adopted. Thus hunter-gatherer societies often distinguished individuals by an event, a characteristic or a religious connotation. More technically advanced cultures with a settled society typically derived surnames from occupations, social status or place of residence.
Smiths, Millers, or Bakers — members of families who traditionally worked as smiths, millers, and bakers. In other cases, surnames derived from a region of origin — da Vinci (from Vinci) or Van Buren (of Buren, which is also a Dutch word for neighbour).
When we wake up in the morning we’re an Artist, or a Programmer, or a Designer. We are what we Work. When we go to bed at night we go to sleep when we’re comfortable with what we have achieved otherwise we’re restless. We live & breath our vocation.
The prerequisite to a 10 hour working week is that you are what you do 100% of the time.
But this arrangement does not suit (pun intended) everyone. There are definite indicators of those suitable… school drop outs, on the spectrum, rebellious, trouble & freaks, gamers, geeks & nerds. Did you ever get the comment “could do better” on a school report? You know… when is a Geek not a Geek? When they are being a Nerd.
- geek — An enthusiast of a particular topic or field. Geeks are “collection” oriented, gathering facts and mementos related to their subject of interest. They are obsessed with the newest, coolest, trendiest things that their subject has to offer.
- nerd — A studious intellectual, although again of a particular topic or field. Nerds are “achievement” oriented, and focus their efforts on acquiring knowledge and skill over trivia and memorabilia.
However there are a few words that are relevant & necessary: discipline, routine, ethic & principles…
Discipline, Routine, Ethics & Principles: Fuelling Passionate Productivity at iSPARX™
While the 10-hour workweek model offers intriguing possibilities, its success hinges on several key pillars, especially for creative and technical work:
1. Discipline: The focused workweek demands self-discipline. You need to:
- Prioritise ruthlessly: Identify and tackle high-impact tasks during your peak hours.
- Minimise distractions: Eliminate non-essential activities during your focused periods.
- Track progress: Monitor your output and adjust your approach as needed.
2. Routine: Consistency is crucial for optimising your peak hours. Consider:
- Establishing a dedicated workspace: This cues your mind to enter “work mode.”
- Developing a pre-work ritual: Optimise your mindset for focus.
- Scheduling breaks strategically: Short breaks within your peak hours can boost focus.
3. Ethics: Our dedication to our work shouldn’t compromise integrity. Remember:
- Respect boundaries: Don’t pressure yourself or others to work beyond reasonable limits.
- Maintain healthy work-life balance: Avoid burnout by scheduling non-work activities.
- Prioritise ethical practices: Uphold ethical standards in your creative and technical work.
4. Principles: Align your work approach with core values. This could include:
- Excellence: Strive for high-quality output in all you do.
- Collaboration: Share knowledge and support your team members.
- Innovation: Embrace new ideas and push creative boundaries.
Remember:
- Passion is not a substitute for structure: Even though you love your work, discipline and routine are necessary for efficiency.
- Flexibility is key: Adapt your approach to your individual needs and working style.
- Open communication is essential: Discuss concerns and challenges with your manager to find solutions that work for you.
Ultimately, the 10-hour workweek is a tool, not a rigid rule. By embracing discipline, routine, ethical practices, and aligning your work with your principles, you can leverage this model to fuel your creative passion and achieve exceptional results.
Where It Came From
In 1906, Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto created a mathematical formula to describe the unequal distribution of wealth in his country, observing that twenty percent of the people owned eighty percent of the wealth. In the late 1940s, Dr. Joseph M. Juran inaccurately attributed the 80/20 Rule to Pareto, calling it Pareto’s Principle. While it may be misnamed, Pareto’s Principle or Pareto’s Law as it is sometimes called, can be a very effective tool to help you manage effectively.
After Pareto made his observation and created his formula, many others observed similar phenomena in their own areas of expertise. Quality Management pioneer, Dr. Joseph Juran, working in the US in the 1930s and 40s recognised a universal principle he called the “vital few and trivial many” and reduced it to writing. In an early work, a lack of precision on Juran’s part made it appear that he was applying Pareto’s observations about economics to a broader body of work. The name Pareto’s Principle stuck, probably because it sounded better than Juran’s Principle.
As a result, Dr. Juran’s observation of the “vital few and trivial many”, the principle that 20 percent of something always are responsible for 80 percent of the results, became known as Pareto’s Principle or the 80/20 Rule.
What It Means
The 80/20 Rule means that in anything a few (20 percent) are vital and many(80 percent) are trivial. In Pareto’s case it meant 20 percent of the people owned 80 percent of the wealth. In Juran’s initial work he identified 20 percent of the defects causing 80 percent of the problems. Project Managers know that 20 percent of the work (the first 10 percent and the last 10 percent) consume 80 percent of your time and resources. You can apply the 80/20 Rule to almost anything, from the science of management to the physical world.
You know 20 percent of your stock takes up 80 percent of your warehouse space and that 80 percent of your stock comes from 20 percent of your suppliers. Also 80 percent of your sales will come from 20 percent of your sales staff. 20 percent of your staff will cause 80 percent of your problems, but another 20 percent of your staff will provide 80 percent of your production. It works both ways.
How It Can Help You
The value of the Pareto Principle for a manager is that it reminds you to focus on the 20 percent that matters. Of the things you do during your day, only 20 percent really matter. Those 20 percent produce 80 percent of your results. Identify and focus on those things. When the fire drills of the day begin to sap your time, remind yourself of the 20 percent you need to focus on. If something in the schedule has to slip, if something isn’t going to get done, make sure it’s not part of that 20 percent.
There is a management theory floating around at the moment that proposes to interpret Pareto’s Principle in such a way as to produce what is called Superstar Management. The theory’s supporters claim that since 20 percent of your people produce 80 percent of your results you should focus your limited time on managing only that 20 percent, the superstars. The theory is flawed, as we are discussing here because it overlooks the fact that 80 percent of your time should be spent doing what is really important. Helping the good become better is a better use of your time than helping the great become terrific. Apply the Pareto Principle to all you do, but use it wisely.
Manage This Issue
Pareto’s Principle, the 80/20 Rule, should serve as a daily reminder to focus 80 percent of your time and energy on the 20 percent of you work that is really important. Don’t just “work smart”, work smart on the right things.
