The 80/20 Rule: How to Work Less and Achieve More

Growing up, we were made to believe that the only way to success is to hustle hard and grind like never before. We grew up seeing our parents work two or more jobs and still fulfill their parental duties. They worked longer hours, did endless tasks, and were trapped in the constant hustle. Anyone who worked less and seemed to achieve more was considered a fraudster. While working hard is a prerequisite for success anywhere in the world, not all work is equal. Some work or efforts will bring great results, while others barely move the needle.

This is why you need the 80/20 Rule, also known as the Pareto Principle. The Pareto Principle reveals a simple, powerful truth: 80% of your results come from 20% of your actions. This principle cuts across every field you can ever think of. If you are a 9-5er, 20% of your actions constitute 80% of your work. As an entrepreneur, 20% of your customers bring in 80% of your revenue. Likewise, as a person, regardless of your status, 20% of your habits and actions constitute 80% of who you are.

If you can identify and focus on the 20%, you will work less and achieve more. And that is the secret of many successful people. To understand this better, let’s break this down.

Understanding the 80/20 Rule

What Is the 80/20 Rule?

The Italian economist, Vilfredo Pareto, propounded the Pareto Principle. Like Parkinson’s law and other notable laws, this principle was named after Pareto. He discovered this principle in the late 19th century while studying wealth distribution in Italy.

From his study, he found that 80% of the land was owned by 20% of Italy’s population. His discovery led him to check other countries for similar patterns or to see if they were peculiar to Italy. Then, he discovered that a small percentage of the population also owned most of the lands. But this principle was just limited to economics, nothing else.

Later researchers, however, found that the 80/20 rule can be applied to different areas of life. For example, 80% of sales come from 20% of customers, 80% of profits come from 20% of products, 80% of income comes from 20% of work, 80% of results come from 20% of actions, etc. This revealed that Pareto’s principle wasn’t just about wealth, but also the principle of imbalance.

Now, you must be wondering how it became a popular productivity principle. In the 1940s-1950s, a quality management expert named Joseph M. Juran applied it to business and productivity. He called it “vital few and trivial many,” meaning that a few key inputs drive most results. Using this, he helped businesses focus on the few that matter. Since then, it has become a key strategy in business, productivity, and personal development. 

What This Means for You

The 80/20 Rule is a guiding principle that helps you double down on the few actions that truly matter instead of spending too much time on low-impact activities.

Common Misconceptions About the 80/20 Rule

1. It’s About Laziness: The 80/20 rule doesn’t encourage laziness. No one can become successful if they are lazy. Instead, this principle helps you redirect your focus and energy to what moves the needle.

2. It’s Always Exactly 80/20: The general idea and percentage is 80/20, but it’s not always 80/20. Sometimes, it can be 90/10 or even 95/5. It just depends on you and the kind of work you do.

3. It’s A One-Time Work: Many people do the 80/20 assessment once and forget about it. But the truth is that it’s not a one-off thing. Your priorities and work schedules will change. Hence, you must constantly reassess yourself to find and focus on the 20%.

The Hidden 20%: How to Apply the 80/20 Rule to Work Less and Achieve More

You are probably asking, “If 20% of my efforts create 80% of my results, how do I find those 20% high-impact tasks?” This is where most people get stuck. The 80/20 rule sounds simple, but applying it effectively is an art.

Here’s a 4-step approach to help you identify, prioritize, and maximize your most valuable activities so you can work less and achieve more.

Step 1: Analyze Your Work:

Look at your past efforts and results, and ask yourself the following questions:

• Which tasks generate the most progress? 
• Which clients bring in the most money for your business?
• Which habits give me the biggest improvements in my life?

For example, Tim Ferris, the author of The 4-Hour Workweek, discovered that 20% of his clients generated 80% of his income. Instead of spreading himself thin and overwhelming himself with work, he fired the low-paying, demanding clients and focused on the profitable ones. With this one action, his income skyrocketed while he worked a few hours.

Action Step:

• Track your work this week and list what produced the most impact and kept you busy. Your most important job in this exercise is identifying at least three high-impact activities you should focus on.

Step 2: Notice the Patterns:

James Clear, the author of the best-selling book, Atomic Habits, said, “Your life today is essentially the sum of your habits. To change your life, you need to recognize the patterns that shape your behavior.” If you’ve done Step 1 properly, you’ll notice a pattern: a small set of actions, clients, or habits consistently create the most significant results.

For example, in your business, a couple of repeat customers could bring in the most revenue. In your work, it could be the first 2 hours of deep work that you produce the best work and bring out your best ideas. All the tasks in business are essential, but it could be the “closing” that brings in the most cash. Just spot the patterns.

Action Step:

• Write down at least three patterns you notice in your work or life.
• Identify which patterns you should focus on or eliminate.

Step 3: Double Down on the 20%:

After identifying your high-impact 20%, your next step is to shift your focus and energy toward it. To do that, follow these steps:

1. Spend More Time on High-Impact Activities:

• If closing deals bring in the most revenue, spend less time on admin work and focus more on selling.
• If your deep work hours produce the best ideas to scale your business, block out distractions during that period.
• If writing emails brings in the most leads and customers, focus less on random social media posts and double down on that.

2. Eliminate, Automate, or Delegate the Other 80%:

The remaining 80% of your tasks are not useless but are not your priority.

• Eliminate unnecessary meetings and low-value tasks.
• Automate repetitive tasks (use AI tools, templates, and software).
• Delegate anything that doesn’t require your unique skill set.

For example, if you are a startup founder who spends 4 hours daily answering customer emails, you can hire a virtual assistant instead of doing it yourself. By delegating that task, you can focus on securing partnerships to bring in the revenue.

Action Step:

• List three tasks you can eliminate, automate, or delegate.
• Block out time for the most important 20% of tasks in your daily schedule.

Step 4: Optimize for the Long Term

Many people think the 80/20 rule is a one-time application. But that is wrong. The real power of the 80/20 rule is in continuously refining where you focus your energy. Here’s how to do it:

1. Set Regular Checkpoints:

You should review your progress every month. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you still focusing on the 20%?
• Has anything changed in your business or career?
• Are you slipping back into “busy work” instead of productive work?

2. Adjust Your 20% Based on Your Review:

• If your 20% isn’t giving results, adjust your current pattern or find a new one.

• If something unexpectedly works, shift your focus and see if it will work again. If it works, double down on it.

A practical example is from Steve Jobs, one of the world’s most genius and influential co-founders. After being fired by Apple in 1985 due to internal conflicts, he was appointed Apple’s CEO in 1997. Upon his return, he discovered that the company had too many products in the marketplace. The company was bleeding money due to incompetent management and failing products in the market. Because of that, he cut down 80% of its products and focused on only four products: consumer desktop, consumer laptop, pro desktop, and pro laptop. That decision made Apple one of the most valuable companies in the world.

Action Step:

• Schedule a monthly or quarterly review of your 80/20 focus areas.
• Set reminders to reassess where most of your results are coming from.

Conclusion

This article discussed how to work less and achieve more using the 80/20 rule. This rule is beyond a productivity hack; it’s a mindset shift.  If you’ve been working tirelessly but not seeing results, it’s time to stop grinding and start optimizing. Determine the 20% of actions that drive 80% of your results, focus on what truly moves the needle, and watch how everything changes. If this is a great read for you, kindly share it with others who might need it.