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This cat knows that 80% of his relaxation comes from naps. Photo by Sabri Tuzcu on Unsplash

Have you heard of the 80/20 rule, or the Pareto Principle 80.20? It says that roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.

When I learned about the 80/20 principle, it blew my mind. Incorporating the principle into my work helps me focus on what matters, reduce burnout, and stop wasting time.

Below are my favourite ways to use the 80/20 principle at work.

Feel Confident

What 20% of clothing items/makeup/jewelry/accessories make you feel the most confident?

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Photo by Ashley Piszek on Unsplash

Look at your wardrobe and your beauty counter. Do you use all these items? Do they contribute equally to your confidence at work?

If you’re honest with yourself, the answer is probably “no.”

What clothes make you feel the most powerful? This could be a tailored blazer, a leather jacket, or a silver necklace. (For me, it’s my blazer and silk scarf.)

If you’re going to a job interview or a presentation, now you’ll know what to reach for.

What makeup makes you feel the most put together? This is especially helpful if you’re in a rush. (And if you don’t do makeup, no judgment, just disregard this!)

No worries if you feel 80% put together with mascara and lipstick and you’re running late. Just swipe on those two products and you’re good to go.

Stop Attending Unnecessary Meetings

Which 20% of your meetings are the most productive? For the remaining 80%, cancel them or make them shorter. Stop wasting your time!

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Photo by Lukas Blazek on Unsplash

Look at your upcoming meetings and identify the 20% most impactful — maybe your boss wants you there, or you’re presenting key insights to the team.

If an upcoming meeting won’t be impactful or productive, cancel it, shorten it, or ask someone to catch you up afterward.

I was initially intimidated and thought I had to attend all the meetings I was invited to. However, once I got over my fear, I found that declining meetings had many benefits. Nothing bad happened, I got time back in my day…and coworkers respected and valued my time since they knew I had competing projects.

If you feel awkward declining meeting invites, try these scripts:

Identify Key Stressors at Work and Tackle Those First

What 20% of stressors cause 80% of your work anxiety?

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Photo by Nik on Unsplash

Track what’s causing your work stress. You can do this through journaling, keeping a notebook at your desk, or asking your friend or partner what you complain about the most. Look for patterns.

Once you have a list of stressors, consider the 20% that cause most of your work anxiety. Are any of these within your control? You may be surprised.

For example, I was annoyed by constant interruptions at work. Coworkers stopped by my office to interrupt me several times an hour, even if my door was closed.

I tackled this issue in several ways:

Instead of tackling every stressor I experienced, I saved time and energy by focusing on what made me the most anxious.

Your primary stressor may be a project deadline or a repeating unproductive meeting. Whatever it is, tackle that first. Can you move back the deadline? Can you cancel the unproductive meetings?

Be warned: this may require asserting boundaries. If you have difficulty setting boundaries, I highly recommend The Book of Boundaries: Set the Limits That Will Set You Free by Melissa Urban, which provides hundreds of scripts for handling tricky work and life situations.

Identify What Relaxation Methods Work the Best for YOU (not necessarily for anyone else.)

What 20% of relaxation methods lead to 80% of my stress reduction?

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Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Everyone has different preferences for how they want to relax. Some people feel most relaxed during yoga. Others may prefer getting a lash lift, reading a magazine, talking with a friend, playing ultimate frisbee…the list goes on and on.

What helps you feel the most relaxed? Be creative!

Try incorporating your relaxation habit into your workday. For example, I feel most relaxed when I’m outdoors, so I take a walk outside every day at lunch.

Focus on the Tools that Will Most Impact Your Career Development

What are the 20% of tools will lead to 80% of your career growth?

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Photo by Quality Pixels on Unsplash

There’s no need to learn every coding and data visualization platform—that’s a surefire way to feel overwhelmed, burned out, and inefficient.

Instead, think about what tools will help you most in your career. You can clean data in Python, build databases in MySQL Workbench, or analyze data in Power BI. Focus on the one thing you think will improve most.

Ask yourself:

Final Thoughts

I’ve used the Pareto principle in many ways at work, not just the ways I’ve listed here. Be thoughtful and honest with yourself.

Ask yourself:

I hope the 80/20 principle helps you as it has helped me: to reduce work stress, overcome perfectionism, and create more time for the things that truly matter (and let’s be honest — that’s not work).

Further Reading

The Book of Boundaries: Set the Limits That Will Set You Free, by Melissa Urban

Maven Analytics Learning Data: How to Stop Being a People Pleaser at Work: A Data Analyst’s Guide by Margaret Efron

Career Contessa: 10 Signs You’re a Chronic People Pleaser — and How to Stop

Towards Data Science: How To Say No to Useless Data Science Projects and Start Working on What You Want

Forbes: 10 Ways to Stop Being a People Pleaser at Work