Ever notice how a simple task seems to stretch until the very last minute? What should take an hour somehow fills the whole afternoon. A project that could be wrapped up in a week lingers for months. That quirk of human behavior has a name: Parkinson’s Law.
I’ve been thinking a lot about Parkinson’s Law lately.
It initially came to mind as I reflected on a client who purchased one of my mentorship packages. Instead of moving quickly through the sessions in just a few weeks, he’s chosen to spread them out over many months. On the surface, that might not seem unusual, but here’s the catch: by stretching out the timeline, he’s actually getting far more value from me than I ever built into the package price. You see, between sessions, I’ve been offering extra commentary, follow-up notes, and practical tips; filling the open space with insights that weren’t originally contemplated. Great for him, of course, but from my side, it means I’m effectively delivering a premium experience at the standard rate. The longer-than-usual pauses between sessions also create room for reflection, application, and follow-up, giving him more than he would have received if we had crammed everything into a short sprint. And that’s when it hit me: Parkinson’s Law isn’t just an abstract idea; it was playing out right in front of me.
Let’s unpack what Parkinson’s Law really means, and why it should matter to entrepreneurs.
Work Expands to Fill the Time Available
When Cyril Northcote Parkinson coined this phrase in 1955, he was poking fun at the way bureaucracies grow. A task that might take an afternoon somehow turns into a weeklong effort if the calendar allows for it. An organization that needs five people to run smoothly balloons into one that employs fifty, without actually increasing productivity.
In my client’s case, stretching his mentorship sessions over time actually increased my workload. With weeks or even a month between meetings, I find myself checking in, answering ad hoc questions, and offering feedback in between. All of that adds value for him—far more than the package originally contemplated—but it also means I’m filling the extra space with more effort than intended. It’s a perfect illustration of Parkinson’s Law at work: the time we allow doesn’t just shape the task; it expands the demands on everyone involved.
If you give a student a month to write a paper, they’ll likely use the full month. If you give them three days, they’ll probably still get it done: just with fewer drafts, more focus, and perhaps more stress. The time we allot to a task shapes the way we approach it, and that’s a double-edged sword.
Bureaucracy Growth: When Parkinson’s Law Runs the Office
I’ve also seen Parkinson’s Law play out in another way with some of my business clients. The moment they hire a few employees, they start creating rules, processes, and structures. At first, it’s helpful. Clear procedures reduce confusion. But before long, those procedures begin multiplying, sometimes to the point where no one remembers why they were needed in the first place.
When I started my first business, Horizon Interactive, everybody pitched in, no matter what needed doing. If communication cables had to be run or the office needed a fresh coat of paint, we just grabbed what we needed and got it done. But as the business grew, I began adding managers and new processes. What we were really doing was adding resistance, steps that slowed things down. Tasks that one person could have handled quickly now need buy-in or approval before moving forward. That extra drag created bottlenecks that hadn’t existed before.
That’s Parkinson’s Law at the organizational level. Bureaucracy expands, even if the workload doesn’t. Left unchecked, it can choke a business.
The lesson? Stay vigilant. Growth in headcount and processes should always be tied to real necessity, not just the appearance of activity. Every so often, it’s worth stepping back to review your systems and ask which ones are helping and which ones are just adding drag. If a process is creating bottlenecks instead of clearing the path, it may be time to trim it back. That thought leads directly into the next manifestation of Parkinson’s Law: how productivity is shaped by the systems we use, and why approaches like Kanban can make all the difference.
Productivity and the Kanban Lesson
Parkinson’s Law also intersects with productivity in surprising ways.
I occasionally bring up the use of the Kanban system when advising some clients. Kanban, pioneered in Japanese manufacturing (famously at Toyota), is a method of visualizing workflow and controlling inventory. The idea was simple but profound: don’t produce or stockpile more than what’s needed at each stage of the process.
At one point, Toyota’s engineers tested how lean they could make their system. They would deliberately remove parts or reduce the available supply until the absence caused production delays. Then, they’d add back just enough to eliminate the slowdown. This “tightening” prevented waste and kept the system as efficient as possible.
It’s the opposite of Parkinson’s Law. Instead of letting work and resources expand to fill available time, Kanban forces constraints. Those constraints sharpen focus, highlight inefficiencies, and prevent waste.
Entrepreneurs can apply the same principle to their own businesses and personal productivity. Shorter deadlines, smaller teams, and limited resources often drive better results. You don’t need to starve your business of tools and talent, but you do need to guard against excess. In fact, studies show that startups with large budgets are often more likely to overspend and run out of cash than those that begin with tighter constraints. When money feels abundant, it’s tempting to overhire, overbuild, or launch too many initiatives at once—what researchers call “overcapitalization.” A Wharton Mack Institute podcast explained how overspending is one of the most common reasons early-stage ventures flame out, while resource-conscious firms tend to be more disciplined and survive longer. A Harvard Business School paper by Thomas Eisenmann on early-stage performance points in the same direction: ventures that used frugality and iteration often performed better than those that rushed to scale with a big checkbook. The lesson is clear, constraints aren’t a handicap; they’re a discipline that keeps focus where it belongs.
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
So, what can a small business owner or solopreneur take away from all this?
Be mindful of timeframes and budgets. Whether it’s a client engagement or an internal project, the amount of time and money you give yourself will shape the effort. Sometimes it pays to spread things out for deeper learning and reflection, as with my mentorship client. Other times, tighter deadlines and limited funding keep you focused and prevent drift.
Beware of bureaucracy creep. Adding staff and processes can feel like progress, but Parkinson’s Law suggests otherwise. Ask yourself: Does this new rule, report, or role actually create value, or does it just create the illusion of work?
Use constraints as tools. The Kanban approach shows us that less can be more. Constraints force prioritization and reveal what really matters. The right level of constraint is not a straitjacket—it’s a focusing lens.
Final Reflection
Parkinson’s Law isn’t just a clever saying. It’s a mirror held up to how humans deal with time, resources, and structure. Left unchecked, we tend to expand. We take longer, add layers, and complicate things. But with a bit of awareness, we can turn the law on its head.
For my mentorship client, stretching the package of sessions turned Parkinson’s Law into an unexpected benefit, even if it meant more work on my end. For businesses like Horizon Interactive, it’s a reminder that as you grow, added processes and approvals can quietly create bottlenecks that drag things down. For productivity, the Kanban lesson shows how deliberate constraints keep systems lean and efficient. And when it comes to money, the same principle applies—budgets expand to match what’s available, which is why overfunded startups often outspend themselves while leaner ones stay disciplined. In the end, Parkinson’s Law isn’t just about time. It’s a mirror for how we handle resources of every kind, and the challenge for entrepreneurs is to know when to stretch, when to tighten, and when to cut back altogether.
Where has Parkinson’s Law shown up in your life or business—stretching time, money, or processes—and what would change if you put tighter constraints in place?
