The 80/20 Rule for Creatives: Focus on What Really Matters

Work Smarter not Harder with the 80/20 Rule

G’day.

Last year I was in a Fijian resort drinking way too many cocktails and reading Tim Ferris’s book ‘The 4-Hour Work-Week’. I wouldn’t go as far to say “IT CHANGED MY LIFE” but it did highlight some areas of improvement for myself.

I speak to so many of my muso friends and they feel like they’re spinning their wheels, putting in countless hours of effort without seeing the results they’re after. It's a common challenge in the creative industry, mainly because the path to success can feel like a maze and is different for everyone.

There is a principle that can help you cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters: the 80/20 rule.

Popularised by Tim Ferris, the 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, suggests that roughly 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. In other words, a small portion of your actions yield most of your success.

So, how can you apply this principle to your music career? Let's dive in:

• Identify Your Key Activities: Take a step back and assess your current activities in your creative journey. What tasks or projects are consuming the majority of your time? Which ones are yielding the best results? By identifying the stuff that drives the most impact you can focus your energy where it matters most.

• Prioritise Your Efforts: Once you've identified your key activities, prioritise them based on their impact. What tasks or projects have the potential to move the needle the most? Whether writing or producing tracks, networking with industry professionals, or honing your live performance skills, prioritise the activities that will yield the greatest returns.

• Batch Tasks to Maximise Flow and Minimise Burnout: Group similar activities together to streamline your process—for example, dedicate one day (or session) to recording, another to editing, and another to social media scheduling. By avoiding task-switching, you conserve mental energy and enter a deeper state of focus, leading to higher-quality output in less time.

By applying the 80/20 rule, you can streamline your efforts to maximise your impact. I’ve put the link to the book here so you can go into these points in more detail if you like. The book is a little dated in parts but there are some absolute gems in there.

Remember: focus on the 20% that matters most, and watch things move in the right direction.

See you next Tuesday.

Daniel

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