There’s a well-known adage called Parkinson’s Law, coined by Cyril Parkinson, which states: “Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, if we give ourselves more time to complete a task, it will inevitably take longer—even if it doesn’t need to. This concept is often used in productivity and efficiency circles, emphasizing the importance of setting tighter deadlines to get more done in less time.
But when it comes to purpose, especially what I call Little p Purpose, the opposite is true. In fact, purpose thrives in the anti-Parkinson’s Law—where the best thing we can do is allow meaningful activities to expand and take up as much time as possible.
Let’s break this down.
Parkinson’s Law and the Outcome-Oriented Mindset
In most areas of life—work, finances, even fitness—we are trained to focus on outcomes. The faster we can check things off our to-do lists, the more successful or productive we feel. This is why Parkinson’s Law is widely accepted: if you give yourself a week to complete a task that could take a day, you’ll likely take the full week.
And from an efficiency standpoint, this makes sense. We should aim to complete tasks as quickly as possible so that we can move on to other important things. We should set deadlines that prevent unnecessary procrastination. In the workplace, in particular, the goal is to minimize process and maximize output.
But this way of thinking—this constant drive to optimize and squeeze every second out of our day—can actually make it harder for people to connect with a deeper sense of meaning.
Because true purpose isn’t about efficiency. It’s about expansion.
The Anti-Parkinson’s Law: Why Purpose Should Expand
Unlike outcome-driven work, Little p Purpose is process-oriented. It’s about engaging in activities that light you up, bring you joy, and make you feel connected to something bigger. And in this case, you don’t want the process to shrink—you want it to grow.
Imagine a musician playing an instrument they love. They’re not focused on finishing the song as fast as possible—they want to lose themselves in the music. The same goes for an artist painting, a writer writing, or even someone volunteering in their community. When you’re deeply engaged in something that fuels your sense of purpose, you don’t want to cut it short—you want it to fill as much time as possible.
This is the anti-Parkinson’s Law in action:
Instead of trying to fit purpose into tight time constraints, we should let it expand to fill our lives.
It’s the complete opposite of what most of us have been trained to do.
Why This Feels So Uncomfortable
The reason many people struggle with Little p Purpose is that they’ve spent their entire lives optimizing for efficiency.
• They’ve been taught to value productivity over presence.
• They’ve been told that time is scarce and should be used wisely.
• They’ve been rewarded for checking off tasks, not for being fully immersed in something they love.
So when they encounter something without a clear outcome or deadline, it feels unproductive—even if it brings them immense joy.
People who have spent years escaping Parkinson’s Law in pursuit of efficiency may find it deeply uncomfortable to suddenly let go and embrace an expansive, abundant approach to time.
But here’s the paradox: The most fulfilling experiences in life don’t fit into tidy schedules. They need room to grow.
From Scarcity to Abundance: A New Mindset for Purpose
Most of us operate from a scarcity mindset when it comes to time. We believe there’s never enough of it, so we try to squeeze in as much as possible. But with Little p Purpose, we need to flip that thinking.
Instead of asking, “How can I do this faster?” we should ask, “How can I allow more time for this?”
Instead of worrying about efficiency, we should focus on immersion.
Instead of shrinking our most meaningful activities into small pockets of leftover time, we should let them take up as much space as they need.
Because that’s the real goal—not just checking off tasks, but living fully in what brings us joy.
Winning the Game: Expanding Time for What Matters
Parkinson’s Law tells us that work expands to fill the time available—but that’s only a problem if we’re talking about work we don’t enjoy.
With Little p Purpose, the expansion of time isn’t a downside—it’s the entire point.
The more time you spend doing what lights you up, the more fulfilling your life will feel. And that’s the game worth winning.
So the next time you feel guilty for spending “too much” time on something you love, remember:
Purpose isn’t about finishing fast. It’s about expanding fully.
Did you catch this week’s episode of Earn & Invest (Click to listen)?
The Purpose Code is Now Available!
