More time isn’t always an advantage.
We tend to assume it is – that having more time means a better result. It feels logical, even comforting.
In the 2024 U.S. election post-analysis, the Democrats’ 107-day Harris campaign has been cited as one reason for their loss.
Maybe.
But the assumption behind that, that more time automatically leads to better outcomes, is false.
The longer I give clients to book coaching sessions, for example, the less urgency they feel to do it.
The longer people have to use store gift cards, the less likely they are to redeem them.
And as Parkinson’s Law reminds us: work expands to fill the time available.
More time means more options, but also more decisions, more procrastination, and more dilution of focus.
Less time, on the other hand, forces clarity.
It sharpens priorities.
It concentrates the mind.
Sometimes, the best way to get more done is to give yourself less time to do it.
🌟 If you found this interesting, let me know! Buy me a virtual coffee ☕ or forward this email ↗️ to someone who also might like it. Your occasional support means I can keep sharing ideas about behavioural science for free.
🧠 Learn the science of Influencing Action
📈 Be shown exactly what to do to get better results for your small business
Hey, are we connected yet?
