In 1955, British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson published a short essay in The Economist. In it, he made a simple but powerful observation:
“Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.”
This idea became known as Parkinson’s Law. It was first used to explain why government bureaucracies kept growing even when their workload didn’t. But over the years, it has proven true for almost every kind of work.
If you give yourself a month to finish a project, it will take a month. If you give yourself a week, you’ll probably get it done in a week. The task stretches to match the time.
And that’s not just about time - it’s about value, pricing, and how you run your business.
The hidden cost of “more time”
At first, giving more time to a project feels safe. It reduces pressure. It gives space for new ideas. But Parkinson’s Law shows why it’s dangerous:
- Projects drag on. Without a clear end point, small tasks multiply and momentum fades.
- Scope creeps in. The longer something takes, the more likely it is that “just one more thing” gets added.
- Profit shrinks. More hours don’t always mean more value. In fact, they often mean less — because effort is spread thin and the final result doesn’t improve.
The same goes for pricing. If you charge only for time, and not for outcomes, Parkinson’s Law eats into your margins. What started as a fair project becomes a slow leak of unpaid hours.
Why boundaries create value
Work needs constraints. Deadlines, budgets, and scope aren’t restrictions - they’re tools that create clarity and focus.
When you set a clear boundary:
- Decisions happen faster. You don’t waste time debating endlessly.
- Priorities sharpen. Only the most important tasks survive.
- Value increases. Clients get what they actually need, not a bloated list of extras.
Just like John Ruskin’s warning about paying too little, Parkinson reminds us that without limits, the work itself becomes less useful.
How to beat Parkinson’s Law
Here are a few ways to apply this principle in your own business:
- Set shorter deadlines. Give yourself less time than feels comfortable. You’ll focus better and avoid unnecessary tasks.
- Define scope early. Agree exactly what’s included in the project before starting. If something new is added, adjust the price or the timeline.
- Price by outcome, not hours. When clients pay for results, not time, you protect your value and avoid endless expansion.
- Use time blocks. Decide in advance how much time you’ll spend on a task. When the block ends, move on.
The takeaway
Time is like money. Without limits, it slips away.
Parkinson’s Law is a reminder that productivity doesn’t come from working longer or charging by the hour. It comes from creating boundaries - in your schedule, in your pricing, and in the way you deliver value.
If you want to protect both your time and your income, set the rules before the work begins. Because left unchecked, the work will always find a way to expand.
