Pareto's Principle

As we set our goals, it is wise to remember the Pareto principle. Never heard of it?

It's a well-known principle among professionals in business strategy, project management, quality control, productivity, or customer services, but it applies to many areas of our lives. 

The Pareto Principle, also called the 80/20 rule, is not a law, but a rule of thumb. It seems that most things in life are not distributed evenly. This principle started with the economist Vilfredo Pareto who noticed, among other things, that 20% of the population owned 80% of the land and that 80% of his food came from 20% of his crops! 

The Pareto principle states that about 20% of the actions or people lead to about 80% of the results.

It suggests that some things in life contribute more than other things and that only 20% of the things we do produce 80% of the results we want to get.

It is observed for example that:

•  about 20% of the students in a group-project create 80% of the work or that about 20% of the employees produce 80% of the work
• 80% of a company's revenues will usually come from about 20% of its customers
• 20% of your family activities will make the biggest difference in your relationship with each other

Before I became a minimalist, I noticed that in 80% of the time, I used less than 20% of my kitchen tools! Same with clothes, shoes, and cleaning supplies! Our children were the same, they would play with only 20% of their toys with only 1/5 of their friends! I know for a fact that cleaning 20% of my kitchen (stove, dishes, and countertops) does the trick! 

The Pareto principle helps us set our priorities (focus on the most important things first) and increase our productivity. As you set your goals, remember that about 20% of your tasks will create 80% of your productivity.

What actions can you take that will have the biggest impact on your well-being, time, or relationships?

What are the little things that make a real difference in your life?