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The newsletter that provides actionable life lessons to a wealthier, healthier, and happier future.

The Theory of Parkinson's Law

Ever noticed how a task you could knock out in an hour magically stretches into an all-day affair… just because you had the whole day?

That’s not laziness, it’s Parkinson’s Law in action:

Parkinson’s law states, “Work expands to fill the time available for it’s completion.”

This means that the more time you give yourself, the more likely you are to use all that time, even if the task doesn’t require it. It becomes bloated with distractions, perfectionism, or procrastination.

Let me show you what that looks like:

Same task. Same effort. Different deadline.

Imagine you're blowing up a balloon. The balloon is the “task” and the air is the amount of “time” you give to the task.

The more time(air) you give to the task, the more the balloon(task) expands.

In other words, the longer it takes.

You can choose how much air (time) you pump into it.

• Small balloon = Tight deadline → Quick, focused work

• Big balloon = Long deadline → Bloated, dragged-out work

The message is simple:
It’s not the task that’s overwhelming, it’s how much space you’ve given yourself to complete it.

Here are some action steps to try beat Parkinson’s Law:

1. Shrink the balloon.
Set a tighter, more intentional deadline, even if it’s artificial.
Instead of “I’ll finish this by Friday,” try “I’ll finish this in the next 45 minutes.”

2. Time-box everything.
Assign a set amount of time to a task before you start.
Ex: “Reply to emails for 20 minutes. Then stop.”

3. Use the 80/20 Rule
Ask: What 20% of this task will deliver 80% of the result?
Start there. Done is often better than overdone.

4. Sprint, then pause.
Work in short bursts (Pomodoro method works well: 25 mins on, 5 mins off) to stay sharp and avoid task-bloating.

Next time you catch yourself giving a 10-minute task an entire afternoon, ask:

“Am I inflating the balloon for no reason?”

Tighter containers = clearer focus = better results.

Try shrink your next balloon and see what happens. 🎈

For those of you who listen to the Diary of a CEO podcast, Steven Bartlett has his own personal channel and it is gold!

You get to take a behind the scenes look into Steven’s life and the amount of value that is packed into each episode it better than almost any other Youtube channel out there.

In this episode, Steven talks about the most common and avoidable CV mistakes that are silently costing people jobs, interviews, and confidence.

He shares:

• The top 3 CV errors that even talented people keep making

• How his company, Flight Story, rebuilt their hiring system from scratch

• The “culture test” they use to spot the right candidates

• What truly makes someone employable in today’s world

• How AI is reshaping the hiring landscape and how to keep up

If you're someone looking to get out of your 9 to 5 job, this video may just be for you.

Missed shots teach you nothing.

Courage is the price of possibility.

By not trying, you’re failing.

Today I read something that struck a nerve in me.

All my life, alcohol has been a way to celebrate an occasion, meet up with friends and for some, numb the pain.

Now I get it, there is a time and a place for it but sometimes it gets out of hand.

We’ve all had a night out where we get carried away and sometimes wake up with the fear, anxiety or regret.

This has prompted me to give up alcohol for periods of time on a number of occasions however I still drink it, I wonder to myself, why do I keep going back?

There are many reasons but the main one I just couldn’t ignore.

I was addicted to creating problems I need to fix.

Let that sink in for a minute.

The irony of self-improvement is this:
The more you work on yourself, the fewer flaws remain, and sometimes, that silence feels uncomfortable.

So you start fixing things that weren’t broken.

You create problems just to solve them.

Not because you're broken… but because struggle “feels” like progress.

It’s like picking a fight with yourself, just so you can make up and call it growth.

You play the hero and the villain, and call it healing.

But it’s not evolution.

It’s a loop.

A rollercoaster you bought a ticket for… and keep re-riding.

Sometimes the real growth is learning to sit in the stillness, without needing to rescue yourself from it.

Ambitious Question

What problems am I creating that don’t need to be here?

In case you missed last week's newsletter, I spoke about:

TEACH – The Fogg Behaviour Model – A powerful framework by BJ Fogg explaining that any behaviour only occurs when Motivation, Ability, and a Prompt converge. It’s a practical tool for building habits that stick by making small changes feel easy and automatic.

INSIGHTS – The Courage To Be Disliked – A thought-provoking read that challenges the idea that your past defines you. It encourages choosing happiness, reclaiming your power, and freeing yourself from the need to please others.

MOTIVATION – Done Is Better Than Perfect – A reminder from Sheryl Sandberg that finishing something is more important than getting it perfect. Even imperfect progress builds momentum and compounds over time.

EXPLORE – The Psychology of Color – A dive into how color influences mood, perception, and behavior—knowingly or not. Understanding this can elevate how you design spaces, create content, or build a brand.

Ambitious Question – What if your biggest obstacle is actually your greatest teacher?

Check it out here.

Feel free to share this if you gained any value from it. Feedback is also welcome.

THANKS FOR READING LEGENDS!