BLUF

Parkinson's Law, coined by Cyril Northcote Parkinson in 1955, posits that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. This principle highlights the inefficiency in time management, suggesting that tasks will take as much time as they are allotted, regardless of the actual time required to complete them.

Summary

This article by Tiffanie Wen, writing for BBC, makes the following points:
  • In his original essay, Parkinson, a naval historian, pointed out that between 1914 and 1928, in the Royal Navy, the number of ships decreased while the number of public servants increased.
  • Parkinson's book so inspired Professor Stefan Thurner he turned the 'law' into a mathematical model for further study.
  • Parkinson's original essay was published by The Economist in 1955, it is still available, but it sits behind a paywall: Parkinson's Law | The Economist

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