"Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion."
Prof. Cyril Northcote Parkinson
“Work contracts so as to fill the half hour before your next meeting.” Claire Tompkins
Both are true. If you believe that your work can expand endlessly, just as those Saturday morning projects actually take the entire weekend and then some, you must also believe that the same project can be limited by time.
The Saturday morning project can be done by lunchtime if 1) you are informed and honest about the time needed and 2) you have other things planned for the rest of the weekend, so that time is actually not available for the project. Could you finish off that report if you had a plane to catch? Sure, you could, because you know the plane's departure time is not negotiable.
So don't let your projects negotiate themselves into all your free time. Show 'em who's boss.
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