Home
>
Stress Management
>
Put the 80/20 Rule to Work for Your Life!

Put the 80/20 Rule to Work for Your Life!

Perhaps you've heard of the 80/20 rule, but don't know where it came from or how it was adapted. Please allow me to give a bit of background on the 80/20 rule before I jump into the way you can put it to work for you.

In 1906, Italian economist Wilfredo Pareto came up with a mathematical principle to describe the distribution of wealth in his country. He found that 20% of the people had 80% of the wealth.

A quality management guru, Dr. Joseph Juran observed a theory of the "vital few" and the "trivial many" and inaccurately attributed this to Pareto, thus the "Pareto Principle" was named and the "80/20 rule" was used to describe how to be more effective.

Focusing on the "vital few" in your life can make a huge difference in the accomplishments you'll make in your life. Examine a list of 10 things to-do, and chances are you'll find that there are 2 things that will have more value than the other 8 things combined. These are the 2 things that absolutely must be done for the day, and the other things can given to someone else to do, planned for another day, or ignored altogether.

By doing these 2 things, you will do more than you ever thought possible. Chances are these 2 things are often the hardest things on your list to do, and some would say that doing something is better than doing nothing. I would argue that doing these little things is a lot like doing nothing, because they're little things that don't amount to much at all. Doing these big things will give you the confidence you need to do even bigger things, and then you'll achieve more, and believe in yourself more, thus doing even bigger things, and the flywheel is now in your favor.

As Brian Tracy would say "Eat That Frog!" and do those difficult, valuable things, and watch your achievements go through the roof. Of course, you can always focus on the trivial few, and focus on just getting any old thing done. You'll be able to tick off many items on that to-do list, but never really get ahead. It's really up to you, and I hope you'll choose to make it great and eat that frog!

Phil Gerbyshak leads a team of IT help desk professionals in Milwaukee, WI, and finds that sharing his knowledge is a crucial component in his success as a leader and as a person. Phil's personal philosophy is paraphrased from Tim Sanders' fantastic book Love is the Killer App: "Share your knowledge, your network, and your love. The rest will follow." Check out more of Phil's musings at http://makeitgreat.blogspot.com

eco-friendly cleaning service Bannockburn ..

In The News:

AI phishing scams now use voice cloning and deepfake technology to trick victims, but Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals warning signs to watch for.

Inversion Space unveils Arc, a reusable reentry vehicle that can deliver up to 500 pounds of cargo from orbit to anywhere on Earth in under an hour.

Red flags like processing fees, urgent countdowns and requests for full Social Security numbers expose fraudulent settlement sites targeting consumers.

Comprehensive analysis of Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps examines usability, routing accuracy, data handling and features across the top navigation platforms.

Expert analysis reveals whether wired Ethernet or wireless Wi-Fi connections are safer for home internet use, plus practical steps to secure your network from attackers.

Australian construction robot Charlotte uses sand, crushed brick and recycled glass to 3D print fireproof, floodproof homes with reduced carbon footprint.

Cybercriminals are using fake invitation emails to trick recipients into downloading malware and stealing personal information and data.

Flying drones could help retailers fight a 93% increase in theft rates as Flock Safety promotes airborne security systems to track suspects and deter crime.

The Fox News Artificial Intelligence Newsletter brings you the latest news on the emerging technology every Saturday, highlighting top stories.

Hacker group Radiant stole data from 8,000 children at Kido nursery chain, demanding ransom and directly contacting parents with intimidation tactics.

As 18 states implement bell-to-bell cell phone bans, creative students use Google Docs, iMessage on MacBooks and Post-It notes to stay connected in class.

A sheriff's captain says deputies often spend hours writing reports between calls, but Axon's AI program, Draft One, helps them save crucial time in the field.

Sora 2, OpenAI's new video-generation app, can create AI-generated videos based on a singular prompt. The results are both mind-blowing and terrifying.

iPhone and Android users can reduce Wi-Fi calling battery drainage through settings adjustments, background app limits and stronger Wi-Fi connections.

Work email scams are becoming harder to detect as criminals use AI and spoofed addresses to trick employees into opening malicious attachments and links.

From her Arizona living room, Christina Chapman ran a covert hub that helped North Korean operatives infiltrate U.S. firms, netting $17 million in stolen salaries.

UC Santa Barbara researchers developed a soft robotic intubation system that achieved 100% success rates for experts and 96% for paramedics with minimal training.

Scammers exploit probate filings to target grieving families with fake fees and debts, Kurt "Cyberguy" Knutsson reports.

Automotive giant Stellantis becomes latest victim of widespread Salesforce breaches affecting companies like Google, Cisco and Adidas this year.

A woman from Washington reunited with her missing Maine Coon cat Louie after 11 days using Love Lost, a free AI-powered pet recovery platform.

Expert cybersecurity tips help Mac owners remove malware infections and strengthen defenses with antivirus software, password managers and system updates.

Meta's AI chatbot training rules bans sexual roleplay with minors and block access to child abuse material as regulators scrutinize its safety measures.

Online banking users face a new threat: web injection scams that overlay fake pop-ups to steal logins. Here’s how to spot them and protect your accounts.

Meta introduced Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger while launching a School Partnership Program for U.S. educators to report bullying within 48 hours.

Executive order signed by President Donald Trump tasks Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s MAHA Commission with using AI to find new cures for childhood cancers.

Put the 80/20 Rule to Work for Your Life!

Stress Management