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The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch – Book Review

The 80/20 Principle, Third Edition: The Secret to Achieving More with Less

The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch

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Rating: 4 out of 5
Pros

The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch can help you identify where you are wasting time and where you should be putting your best effort. The Pareto Principle is core to Richard Koch’s system of self-improvement. He uses the latest scientific research into human psychology, motivation, and productivity to provide some of the best advice that you can find about time management.

Cons

If you are already good at time management, you will be familiar with several of the secrets in this book. The 80/20 Principle cannot tell you what you should be doing. It can only help you pursue your goals more effectively.
However, even highly efficient people can find value in this book. Most likely, you will find things that will be helpful to you, maybe even vital to improving your processes. The information you don’t have could spell the difference between success and failure.

Bottom Line

Everyone can benefit from greater efficiency, and The 80/20 Principle has valuable information that will help you work better and smarter. Richard Koch can teach you new ways to think about time management. He can also remind you of ideas you already use, and help you understand how to rank your tasks and better evaluate your schedule.
I recommend The 80/20 Principle to all of my clients who want to be more productive or who are struggling with time management. Consider picking up a copy and learning more about time management from Richard Koch.

We may earn compensation from the products and offers mentioned in this article. However, any expressed opinions are our own and aren’t influenced by compensation. To read our full disclosure, click here.

How to Improve Your Time Management Skills

Knowledge is power, and identifying where you are most productive is extremely valuable. The 80/20 Principle book review I have prepared can show you how the book can help you make better use of your time. Even if you’re already really good at time management, Richard Koch can help you identify areas of improvement. Consequently, you will learn how to be more efficient and successful. As an added benefit, this book can also help you show others how they can improve their performance.

Female manager leading meeting in the office following the 80/20 principle book.
Proper Planning And Delegation Can Help You Avoid The Need For Multitasking (Image Source: Shutterstock)

The Pareto Principle explains mathematically how people and organizations spontaneously organize and is core to the ideas in this book. Richard Koch uses the latest scientific research to explain how to use this mathematical principle to identify effective and ineffective work strategies. 

Keep reading if you want to find out how the Pareto Principle can help you be more effective and successful. I Wrote The 80/20 Principle Book Review to Improve Organizational Awareness

One of the biggest points I make with my clients is the need to be fully present. If you are not giving someone your full attention, you are falling for the 80/20 trap. Multitasking is inefficient and doesn’t help you work faster. The more tasks you do, the more you divide your attention, and the weaker your results are across all areas. 

When you are responsible for a lot of people and different projects, you will find that you don’t always have the time to put all of your attention on what you are doing. When planning future activities, the reflective thinking and strategic thinking skills taught in The 80/20 Principle can help. 

Proper planning and delegation can help you avoid the need for multitasking. It can be difficult, but when you can put all of your attention on one task at a time, you will get more done. As your productivity increases, the need for multitasking will go down. As you practice these skills, it will get easier and easier, until it becomes second nature. The most effective and productive teams have learned how to avoid multitasking entirely. Learning how to do this is part of the magic you will find in The 80/20 Principle.

Emotional Intelligence in Leadership: Books to Transform Your Life
Emotional Intelligence in Leadership: Books to Transform Your Life

Time management skills are especially important for entrepreneurs and people involved with new businesses. Emotional intelligence in leadership and efficient work strategies are vital for the success of new ventures. In my experience, The 80/20 Principle is one of the best startup business books to give you and your ideas the best chance for success.

Best Startup Business Books for Mindful People to Read in 2020
Best Startup Business Books for Mindful People to Read in 2020

Richard Koch Teaches Advice From the Best Experts

As a former management consultant, Richard Koch has a lot of experience helping people improve their efficiency. He didn’t just show other people how to do it; as a private equity investor, he made a fortune using the same skills to identify efficient investment opportunities. 

Businesswoman sitting in lotus pose on table while meditating in office.
When You Are In Good Shape And Eat Healthy Food, You Have More Energy And Your Mind Is Sharper (Image Source: Shutterstock)

Efficiency isn’t about taking all the fun out of life. The more effectively you use your time, the more fun it will be. There’s very little in life that is as fun and rewarding as being successful.

An important part of maximizing your success is knowing when to unplug so you can recharge. Proper diet, exercise, and mental health are central to any plan to improve your efficiency. When you are in good shape and eat healthy food, you have more energy. Your mind is sharper, and it’s easier to focus and concentrate for long periods of time. This Thinner, Leaner, Stronger review can help you find good ideas to improve your lifestyle and provides a good overview of one of the better wellness books on the market today. 

If you are looking for new ways to change up your workout routine, I would suggest trying yoga. It’s a great way to combine exercise and meditation. I’ve found that many managers and office workers like to practice yoga because of how easy it is to fit into a busy day. You can do yoga almost anywhere, and while it’s best to work out for thirty minutes, even five minutes a day can provide amazing benefits. 

All you need for a good yoga workout is a quiet corner, a yoga mat, and some comfortable clothes. Using a yoga journal can help you keep track of your progress and is a great place for you to record insights and epiphanies you will have while practicing. 

Use Strategic Thinking to Improve Your Life

How to Instantly Be More Productive | The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch – FightMediocrity

As the leader of the 1AND1 Life corporate wellness program, I recommend The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch. Part of our mission is to create healthier forms of leadership so businesses can be more productive and provide more value to their customers. 

The 80/20 Principle combines the benefits of reading with some of the best time-management advice I’ve ever heard. It is one of the ten management books I recommend to all of my clients. I have a copy of it on my bookshelf, and I use it regularly.Whether you are looking to start your own business, or better manage your time in your current position, The 80/20 Principle can help you meet your goals faster with less work. Why not pick up a copy today and start reading? It will save you time on your current projects and make you more productive and successful for years to come.