\u00a0<\/p>\n
In 1955, a year before my birth, an English historian who had worked in civil service was written up in the magazine \u201cThe Economist\u201d about a law of nature that would control my life, in fact, controls many of us.\u00a0 He said \u201cwork expands to fill the time available for its completion.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cData expands to fill the storage available\u201d is a corollary to the initial observation and finally \u201cif you Why does this happen?\u00a0 Why does it seem we are always running out of time?\u00a0 Why do deadlines appear even when they are not apparent at first?\u00a0 Of course, there is the obvious, that people\u2019s natural tendency to procrastinate<\/a> work causes deadlines to appear that didn\u2019t exist before.\u00a0 People want to do non-work things more than work things.\u00a0 Deadlines are unnatural and imposed on us usually from outside.\u00a0 Everybody gets that. \u00a0But what are the other reasons that works expands to fill the time allotted or usually more than the time allotted?\u00a0 How is it that we always seem to underestimate the time needed to complete a project?<\/span><\/p>\n The first place for clues to look into this phenomenon is by seeing the approach most people take to a task.\u00a0 After all, you must start a task to complete it.\u00a0 Many people build up the task at the beginning and avoid starting until they think it through.\u00a0 Many people avoid what they perceive as problems that may be in the way of starting a task.\u00a0 And still others avoid starting a task until the timing is right, or they have the feel for it.\u00a0 The latter is especially true for writing tasks.\u00a0 I mean who can write without the right feeling?\u00a0 By building up the entr\u00e9e to the task, they collapse the amount of time they have for a project and thus never get it off the ground until too late.\u00a0 These all mostly fit into the category called procrastination<\/a> and is an obvious problem with getting work done early.\u00a0 But what about the project that gets started on time, but just seems to fizzle as you progress.<\/span><\/p>\n Problems appear that you cannot anticipate.\u00a0 In the world today, very few times do people answer phones.\u00a0 It is usually an automated system that sometimes the proper number to push isn\u2019t obvious.\u00a0 As a doctor who has to call insurance companies frequently to get coverage information, I can get to the person I need to ask a simple question quickly, or sometimes it can take hours if I get through at all.\u00a0 One insurance company I have to call frequently keeps throwing me out of the system before I talk to anyone and I have to keep calling back.\u00a0 I remember one insurance company that said \u201cyour wait time will be 189 minutes.\u201d\u00a0 That\u2019s over three hours.\u00a0 Who works a three-hour wait time into their schedule?\u00a0 And they were only open another two hours anyway.\u00a0 I had called IRS in an attempt to get a simple question answered about a bill they sent me.\u00a0 I was trying to pay them money, but it took two full weeks of calling every day because I kept getting that no one was available.\u00a0 Once I got through by calling early (6 a.m. eastern) in the morning, they were extremely pleasant and great at solving the problem, but getting through was a difficult proposition.\u00a0 So unanticipated delays from other people or companies can cause you serious problems on checking off something on your to do list.<\/span><\/p>\n The next problem is internal to you.\u00a0 Often when you begin to approach a problem, you uncover other concerns that you feel you must handle first.\u00a0 You look at it and look at it and then say to yourself, I can\u2019t do \u201cB\u201d before I handle \u201cA.\u201d\u00a0 So, you go about the task of handling \u201cA\u201d and unfortunately it steamrolls and create even other delays that are not anticipated.\u00a0 Often times when this happens \u201cA\u201d becomes a bigger problem than \u201cB\u201d and ends up taking more of your time.\u00a0 This happens a lot in committees.\u00a0 They are presented with a problem and then get sidetracked into another issue, which they spend most of the committee meeting discussing, leaving the original work behind.\u00a0 \u00a0Cyril Northcote Parkinson, the man who professed Parkinson\u2019s law first, said that a committee will grow in size until it becomes irrelevant, and called it the co-efficient of inefficiency which main factor was size of the committee.\u00a0 Gee, I wonder if that applies to the US having 435 congressmen and 100 senators. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The final problem is one of priorities.\u00a0 Many of us are expected to do many things in this world, play many roles.\u00a0 Some have very few expectations.\u00a0 If you want something done, find the person with many expectations.\u00a0 The person with few expectations will tend to prioritize the relaxation and easy feeling they are used to having.\u00a0 The one with many expectations will fit your project in.\u00a0 That seems counter-intuitive, but people develop habits that work or allow them to live.\u00a0 Even though the busy person will probably drive you crazy by putting what you want him to do on the back burner for awhile, he will get to it.\u00a0 The not so busy person will constantly say \u201cit will get done in time,\u201d or \u201cthese things find a way to get completed\u201d but you are likely to not have it completed.\u00a0 The problem with this is when the busy person just has way too much on his plate, and actually can\u2019t complete your project then you have a situation.\u00a0 Generally though the busy person is the best bet, just give him a deadline short of what you want.<\/span><\/p>\n This final statement is important to hear.\u00a0 Complete your tasks a few days or hours short of when it is needed, and go back and make some changes.\u00a0 Nobody writes perfect in a first draft.\u00a0 Put some time between and go back and make changes as needed.<\/span><\/p>\n I learned early on that insight doesn\u2019t lead to change, so I usually give precise advice on changing.\u00a0 Advice like get started, don\u2019t build up the resistance, stay focused on task and keep busy with the problem.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know if that will make a difference, so I just wanted to point out Parkinson\u2019s Law to you and let you make the adjustments.\u00a0 Believe me, you will get criticism regardless of what you do because people are just ready to criticize.\u00a0 Although Cyril died in 1993, if he were around today in the internet age he would have made this comment.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe best way to get an answer on the internet is to not to post a question, but post a statement of what you think to be right and you will be criticized and corrected many times, even if you are correct.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019ll let other people tell you how you should act to control this law of nature, I just want you to be aware of it.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Site Administrator:\u00a0 Gary S. Aumiller, Ph.D. ABPP<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Please share this article from down below.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Please join the email list on the top of the sidebar and you can get these sent to your email.\u00a0 Also follow me on Twitter (https:\/\/twitter.com\/ThinBlueMind<\/a>) for other articles and ideas, and YouTube at\u00a0https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCfjNw0510ipr3bX587IvAHg<\/a> .<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Police Psychology | Parkinson\u2019s Law by Gary S. Aumiller, Ph.D.\u00a0 ABPP \u00a0 In 1955, a year before my birth, an English historian who had worked in civil service was written up in the magazine \u201cThe Economist\u201d about a law of nature that would control my life, in fact, controls many of us.\u00a0 He said \u201cwork […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17168880],"tags":[17168803,17168957,17168991],"class_list":["post-5750","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-effort","tag-police","tag-psychology","tag-work-efficiency"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":949,"url":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?p=949","url_meta":{"origin":5750,"position":0},"title":"Police Psychology | How Policing Can Be Improved with Science","author":"Gary Aumiller","date":"January 5, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Police Psychology | How Policing Can Be Improved with Science \u00a0Marcus Clarke is the author of psysci.co a psychology blog that examines the latest research and explains findings in simple terms. Police forces around the world face increasing pressure, from cuts to funding to new forms of crime, so ensuring\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Rank and Leadership"","block_context":{"text":"Rank and Leadership","link":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?cat=17168887"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4767,"url":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?p=4767","url_meta":{"origin":5750,"position":1},"title":"Police Psychology: Holidays in Law Enforcement","author":"Gary Aumiller","date":"November 21, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Police Psychology | Holidays in Law Enforcement by\u00a0 Gary S. Aumiller, Ph.D.\u00a0 ABPP \u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "Avoiding Being a Missing Person"","block_context":{"text":"Avoiding Being a Missing Person","link":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?cat=17168886"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":455,"url":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?p=455","url_meta":{"origin":5750,"position":2},"title":"Police Psychology | Officers Disproportionally Killing Black Men: Another False Narrative","author":"Gary Aumiller","date":"June 29, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Police Psychology | Officers Disproportionally Killing Black Men:\u00a0 Another False Narrative Guest Blogger Ron Martinelli, Ph.D., is an internationally renowned forensic criminologist and police expert directing the nation\u2019s only multidisciplinary Forensic Death Investigations and Independent Review Team at www.martinelliandassoc.com.\u00a0 His perspanl website is at www.drronmartinelli.com \u00a0 Among several prominent false\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Public Information Bureau"","block_context":{"text":"Public Information Bureau","link":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?cat=17168888"},"img":{"alt_text":"martinelli image","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/martinelli-image-300x172.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2682,"url":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?p=2682","url_meta":{"origin":5750,"position":3},"title":"Police Psychology | Too Much Ugly","author":"Gary Aumiller","date":"June 3, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0Police Psychology | Too Much Ugly By Robin Kroll, PsyD ABPP \u00a0 When officer Frank arrived at the scene of the crash, he knew immediately there was a fatality. He found the teenage driver ejected, lying on the side of the road, dying. In his attempt to give aid, he\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Police Stress"","block_context":{"text":"Police Stress","link":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?cat=17168885"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36,"url":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?p=36","url_meta":{"origin":5750,"position":4},"title":"Book Review: Personality Assessment in Police Psychology","author":"Gary Aumiller","date":"February 6, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I have to admit, I had no intention of reading this book in one sitting, in fact, I was only really going to read about half of the essays in this collection of essays.\u00a0 I have to admit I was invited to write a chapter in this book but really\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Books"","block_context":{"text":"Books","link":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?cat=17168876"},"img":{"alt_text":"Weiss","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/weiss-212x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":386,"url":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?p=386","url_meta":{"origin":5750,"position":5},"title":"Police Psychology | The Police Candidate Interpretive Report","author":"Gary Aumiller","date":"June 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The Police Candidate Interpretive Report \u00a0 I had one of the first cell phones for public consumption.\u00a0 It fit in a bag.\u00a0 The battery lasted minutes not hours, and it was essentially a car phone that could be moved around.\u00a0 But visions of Dick Tracy\u2019s watch and Agent 86\u2019s shoe\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Tests"","block_context":{"text":"Tests","link":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?cat=17168877"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p60sbO-1uK","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5750","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5750"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5750\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7240,"href":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5750\/revisions\/7240"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5750"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5750"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5750"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"http:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/DUMSTRS-233x300.bmp\")
spend 10 hours on a project you will be twice as far behind than if you only spend five hours on the project.\u201d\u00a0 I think these were meant to be humorous, but I am not exactly laughing about them.\u00a0 In fact, it may have been true back then, but now it is more like work expands to fill any time in the day, including the time set aside for relaxation and comfort, and sometimes even dinner.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nFirst Step:\u00a0 Start<\/h2>\n
Alert:\u00a0 Problems on the Edge<\/h2>\n
Careful:\u00a0 Insight Can Lead to Inaction<\/h2>\n