The Physics of Procrastination

Cyril Northcote Parkinson was a naval historian. He noticed something strange: as the British Empire shrank, the number of employees in the Colonial Office increased.

He formulated Parkinson's Law: "Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion."

The Mechanism

If you give yourself 2 weeks to write a report that takes 2 hours:

1. Bloat: You will over-research, worry about font choices, and stress over details that don't matter.
2. Procrastination: You won't start until the last 3 days anyway.
3. Stress: The task hangs over your head like a dark cloud for 14 days.

The Paradox of Constraints

Limits create freedom.

• No Limit: "I have all day." -> Result: Distracted browsing, low energy.
• limit: "I have 25 minutes (Pomodoro)." -> Result: Intensity, flow state, completion.

How to Use It

Don't ask "How much time do I have?" Ask "How much time does this need?"

Then, set an artificial deadline that feels "slightly too short." The pressure forces your brain to drop the non-essential and focus on the output.