You’re probably familiar with the idea of time management, a concept often promoted in self-help books. It aims to help you achieve more in the time you have, typically boosting productivity by 15 to 25 percent. However, there’s an even more effective approach. Traditional time management focuses on fitting more tasks into a given timeframe, primarily designed for busy executives.

The first step is to prioritize daily activities. The problem arises when many people struggle to distinguish their most important tasks, leading them to label 60 to 70 percent of their to-do list as “high priority.” The consequence? Overloaded schedules and longer working hours, which can eventually lead to burnout.

For a better solution, consider 80/20 time management or “time revolution.” In 80/20 time management, you start by identifying the 20 percent of tasks that contribute to 80 percent of your achievements, and then you concentrate on these key tasks. For instance, the author, working at a consulting firm, noticed that their firm outperformed others without additional effort. While most consultants tackled a wide range of issues for clients, resulting in superficial work, the author’s colleagues focused on the most critical 20 percent of the clients’ issues. They used the time they saved to assist clients in implementing recommendations, which led to surpassing other consulting firms and increasing clients’ profits. This “time revolution” approach allows you to free up time without compromising the impact of your work.