"You know, I used to feel so guilty
staring at the stack of unread journals on my desk,"
said a Winnipeg-based pediatrician. Now she gleefully
pitches about four out of five of these periodicals
straight into the recycling bin. She scans the table
of contents and only keeps the articles she deems relevant
to her practice. And since giving up on the Sisyphean
goal of reading all the major research in her field,
she feels like she actually has a better grasp on the
stuff that truly matters.
So how did this doctor get so wise?
It all started when she happened upon Pareto's Principle
of time management.
THE
MAGIC RATIO
Pareto's Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, is
essentially a rule of thumb to remind us that in life
and work there's nearly always a discrepancy between
input and output. The 80/20 rule was developed in the
1930s by management guru Joseph M Juran, who observed
that in the world of business there was nearly always
a "vital few" (the ballpark figure is usually around
20%) and a "trivial many" (about 80%). He named his
principle after the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto
whose work inspired him.
Dr Juran's thinking really started
to garner attention after a successful stint lecturing
on quality control in post-war Japan. His pupils took
his advice and focused their energy on what really mattered
and eventually "Made in Japan" went from being the direst
of caveats to the hallmark of quality it is today. Now,
the 80/20 rule is widely accepted as a basic tenet of
"business sense." Innumerable studies have shown that
about 20% of a firm's customers typically make up around
80% of sales, likewise the lion's share of many companies'
profits can be traced back to the work of a few key
employees. The best executives understand that focusing
on the 'vital few' is always time well spent. But don't
think this should only concern CEOs — the concept
of the 80/20 rule is remarkably appropriate for overworked
Canadian physicians who want to up their efficiency.
For instance, you may find 80%
of time you spend with a patient has little meaningful
impact on his or her well-being — but those few
pivotal moments where you scribble a script or offer
them frank advice, you could be saving a life.
80/20
TOP 5
Here's how you can let the 80/20 rule guide you:
1. Your vital few helpers
If you work in a larger practice, try to identify the
staffers doing the most to help you. Make sure you show
them your appreciation.
2. Know where your time goes
Make a time sheet detailing each little thing you do,
and how long it takes, over the course of a day in your
practice.
3. Cut the right corners
If the time you're spending on a task doesn't jibe with
its importance, adjust your practice style accordingly;
if possible delegate time-consuming tasks to support
staff.
4. Set office hours If you're
concentrating on the 20% or 'vital few' aspects of your
day, you should be accomplishing more in less time.
This means you can leave the office earlier sans
guilt.
5. Expect the unexpected
Set aside a bit of time in your day for unforeseen requests
— like insurance documents you need to sign. Think
of these items in your in-box as lit dynamite —
get rid of them as quickly as possible. Are you really
going to be any less busy tomorrow? Not likely. Tackling
these incoming requests quickly means you won't have
things hanging over your head.
The ultimate lesson the Pareto
Principle offers the practising physician is that hard
work and efficiency won't add up to a hill of beans
unless you focus your energy in the right places.
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