How understanding Parkinson’s Law helped me (and my clients) reclaim time, energy, and joy.

There’s a theory I return to often in both therapy and entrepreneurship. It’s called Parkinson’s Law, and it goes like this:

“Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.”

If you’ve ever spent hours on a task that could’ve taken 30 minutes or procrastinated until a deadline finally pushed you into action—you’ve experienced it in real time.

As a therapist for high achievers, perfectionists, and burnout-prone professionals, I see Parkinson’s Law playing out everywhere:

• The slide deck that’s endlessly revised.
• The email written, deleted, rewritten.
• The client call prepped and over-prepped.
• The “just one more thing” habit that keeps people working past dinner on a Saturday night.

What looks like productivity is often just stress in disguise.

And what seems like “having high standards” is sometimes fear:

• Fear of letting someone down.
• Fear of not being enough without the extra effort.
• Fear of stopping long enough to feel what’s underneath the hustle.

The shift: I don’t work Fridays.

This decision didn’t come easy. As a business owner and psychotherapist, I used to wear my full calendar like a badge of honour. More hours meant more commitment… right?

But last summer, I really began to see the cracks.Tasks were taking longer than they needed to. My emotional bandwidth was thinning.
And joy—the thing I help others make space for—was slowly getting squeezed out of my own life.

So I ran an experiment.
At first, I blocked a few hours. Then a full day. Now? Fridays are off-limits.

No sessions.
No content.
No pretending I’ll “just catch up.”

And the results were undeniable:

• My energy on Monday was no longer running on fumes.
• I got more done in four days than I ever did in five.
• I stopped dragging my feet through perfectionism and just started finishing things.

This wasn’t about being lazy. It was about being intentional.

The emotional intelligence behind Parkinson’s Law

What I’ve learned (both in therapy and in my own nervous system) is that more time doesn’t mean better work. It just gives our inner critic more space to play.

If you’re a high-performing leader, professional, creative, or entrepreneur, you’re not just managing your calendar—you’re managing your energy. And energy leaks when you give your time away without boundaries.

Here’s how I support clients in working with this insight:

1. Constrain the time, not the outcome.
Give yourself a shorter, focused window (and stick to it.)
(That 3-hour block you thought you needed? (Try 90 minutes instead.)

2. Timebox tasks—and your overthinking.
Overanalyzing isn’t preparation. Set a timer, finish the task, and walk away. Do it wrong! Just experiment and give yourself permission to do something less than perfect.

3. Schedule finish lines, not just deadlines.
Whether it’s a half-day, a tech break, or a no-meeting Friday, put the end in sight. Your nervous system will thank you.

4. Get honest about “productive” procrastination.
Reorganizing your inbox, tweaking your branding font, or editing a post for the tenth time? Ask: is this actually moving the needle, or just soothing your anxiety?

Final thought: your worth isn't measured in output

Parkinson’s Law reminds us that work will take as much time as we allow.
But healing? Growth? Joy?
They need space too.

So no, I don’t work Fridays.
Because I’ve learned that presence, purpose, and peace don’t come from having more time.
They come from how you use the time you have.

Curious how this applies to you?
If you’re navigating burnout, perfectionism, or executive overwhelm, you don’t need another productivity hack—you need a new relationship with time, self-worth, and energy. 📆 Book a discovery call to explore how therapy or coaching can support your shift.

#RISEwithLiveInspired
#EmotionalIntelligence #BurnoutRecovery #TherapyForHighAchievers #ParkinsonsLaw #TimeManagementTips #IntentionalLiving #LiveInspiredWellness

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