80% Rule (2024)

FAQs

What is the 80 percent rule? ›

The 80% rule was created to help companies determine if they have been unwittingly discriminatory in their hiring process. The rule states that companies should be hiring protected groups at a rate that is at least 80% of that of white men.

The basic idea is 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. So in theory if you focus 20% of resources correctly, you can get 80% of the results you need. You reach 'good enough' and can be much more cost-effective, instead of using 80% more resources stretching to a 'perfect' 100%.

Productivity. You can use the 80/20 rule to prioritize the tasks that you need to get done during the day. The idea is that out of your entire task list, completing 20% of those tasks will result in 80% of the impact you can create for that day.

The Pareto Principle, often called the 80/20 rule, is the broad observation that approximately 80% of outcomes or results come from about 20% of your inputs or effort. Therefore you should concentrate on areas where you can get 'big wins' with comparatively little effort.

To set goals with the 80-20 rule, you primarily establish that 20% of your efforts/tasks will result in 80% of your results. For example, at work, 20% of the effort you put into your job will result in 80% of your tasks being completed/successful.

However, keep the 80/20 rule in mind: as long as you find someone who meets around 80% of your needs, then you can do the other 20% by yourself. This will broaden your horizons and can help you find a good match for you.

Known as the Pareto Principle, this rule explains that 20 percent of your activities will account for 80 percent of your results. That being the case, leaders should change the way they set goals forever if they want to transform their teams and performance.

Pareto's 80/20 Rule

This “universal truth” about the imbalance of inputs and outputs is what became known as the Pareto principle, or the 80/20 rule. While it doesn't always come to be an exact 80/20 ratio, this imbalance is often seen in various business cases: 20% of the sales reps generate 80% of total sales.

The 80–20 rule states that the minority of causes have the most impact, whereas the majority have the least. The values of 80 percent and 20 percent aren't exact values—it could be 70–30 or even 95–5. In other words, a few of the things we do have a huge impact while most of the things we do have very little impact.

In the sprinting world, Lewis's style became known as the 85% rule. The idea is that instead of applying maximum effort, allow yourself to remain loose. This approach frees up awareness, frees up presence, and frees up power—all the qualities we often associate with success. And the 85% rule can help in life, too.

What is the 70 30 productivity rule? ›

The 70-30 Principle is about defaulting to action but leaving 30 percent for space to optimize the things you do. This is actually a lesson that hit me really hard a few months ago. Despite being aware of the positive impact of decluttering physical and other things in my life, it still found a way to sneak up on me.

Create Your 1-3-5 List. Select one major task that aligns with your overarching goals or objectives for the day. Then, identify three medium tasks that require dedicated focus but are not as impactful as the major task. Finally, pick five small tasks that can be completed quickly to maintain momentum and productivity.

At its core, the 3-3-3 method is elegantly straightforward: allocate three essential tasks each morning, three more for the afternoon, and finally, leave room for three additional tasks to tackle at your own discretion.

Understanding the 30-30 Rule

In its essence, it involves dedicating 30 minutes of focused work or activity followed by a 30-minute break. This cycle is aimed at optimizing concentration and productivity by allowing short, regular breaks within the work schedule.