The 80/20 Rule is the common name of a theory based on the Pareto Principle. Very simply stated it means that out of the possible 100% of everything around us 20% is where the most significant resides.
Examples from the Wikipedia link: 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. 80% of wealth is owned by 20% of the population. 80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients. 80 % of what we wear comes from 20% of our wardrobe. We spend 80% of the time with 20% of our acquaintances.
(Note: In most cases where the theory is applied today, the numbers are more to make a mental visualization instead of being mathematically or statistically accurate. It is simply a thought that is frequently used in business. A practical starting point to look for improvements, problems, and practices.)
Most of the successful lifestyle programs out there today seem to be based on the rule. They center on that significant 20%, maximizing the good and fixing the bad. Personal productivity programs focus on maximizing the most productive practices and eliminating the things that cause the most sabotage to productivity. The same can be said of most diet programs, time management systems, and anything else in the self help section. The best ones will teach you how to identify the most significant for yourself instead of or in addition to looking for specific things that are statistically standard among the masses.
Using the 80/20 Rule in Your Life
Sit down and think about everything around you. Now remember you are looking for the significant. The best AND the worst.
It is not always the case, but I have found that the best can often be found by looking for “Not enough” and the worst can be found by looking for “Too much”. Fill in these couple of sentences and you will begin to understand what I mean.
- I do not have enough time to _____.
- I spent too much time ______.
- I do not have enough space for ______. (Usually for a hobby or fun activity, or the things we use the most.)
- I use too much space for ______.
- I see ______ too much.
- I do not see _____ often enough. (Also talk, write, etc…)
- I do not eat enough _____.
- I ate too much. (Hmm. Not really a need for a blank.)
When you catch yourself saying or thinking “Not enough” you have usually identified something that is good. Something that you want to do more often. Something that you should do more often. Something that you want/need more of in your life.
When you catch yourself saying or thinking “Too Much” you have usually identified something that is the worst. Something that you do not like doing. Something that wastes your time. Something that is not healthy. Something you need to eliminate or reduce from your life.
The blanks will be different for everyone, but whenever I hear this statement from someone I know that it is significant enough to them to be on the top of their mind. How often someone makes the statement is a good indicator of how much it needs to be addressed and just how significant the change would make.
Finding Simplicity
There are many of us that are at a point in our lives that we are looking for simplicity. I have several friends that I talk to often about it. I have also found many sites and blogs where individuals are describing in detail the things they are doing to make their lives easier and more simple.
Simplicity means a little something different for all of us. We are all looking for it in different ways. We are all finding it in different ways. We are all unique individuals in different stages of our lives with unique natural inclinations and talents. But there is one thing I notice that we all seem to have in common. We are all pretty good at recognizing the “too much” in our lives and are actively trying to do something about them.
Think of it like project day. You pick the one thing bugging you the most and work on it. After a while something else will become the thing bugging you the most. Work on that. We are all works-in progress. We do not have to be perfect in any area of our lives. That is an impossible goal. Just pick one thing to start working on. Work on it a little. Work on it a lot. It could be a big thing. It could be a little thing. Just make a choice to make that first step. It is the hardest one.
Want to know the funny thing about the 80/20 Rule? By working on any of the significant that is “too much” even just a little bit we make huge overall positive impacts on our lives. Remember, 80% of our success in life comes from 20% of our efforts. It is not the millions of things we run around doing (that we could do or should do) that make a difference, it is that little bit at a time.
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