Define "done" before you start
Specify the minimum criteria for a complete output before beginning, so you have a clear stop condition.
Why it works
Without a pre-specified done condition, completion is governed by the stopping rule "does it feel finished?" — which is infinitely deferrable, especially for perfectionists. A minimum viable output definition shifts the stopping rule to an external criterion: "does it meet the spec?" Tasks expand partly because perfectionists keep moving the bar; pre-specification anchors the bar before effort has inflated perceived stakes.
How to do it
- Before starting, write one sentence: "This is done when ___."
- Make the criterion specific and observable — not "when it’s good" but "when it has three sections, answers the brief, and is under 500 words."
- When the criterion is met, stop — regardless of whether it could be improved.
Evidence
Goal-setting theory (Locke & Latham) supports specific, measurable goals over vague ones for performance. Pre-specifying completion criteria is a logical application of specificity; the stopping-rule framing specifically is practitioner-derived. (mechanistic)
Goal specificity research is about performance on the task, not primarily about preventing work expansion; the Parkinson’s application is a principled extrapolation.
Sources
- Locke & Latham (2002), building a practically useful theory of goal setting, American Psychologist
Common mistake
Defining "done" in terms of time spent rather than output quality — "I’ll work for one hour" is a time constraint, not a done condition, and leaves quality ungoverned.
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More practices for Parkinson's Law, Made Practical
- Set deadlines shorter than you think you need
Assign a deadline that is tighter than comfortable — not unrealistic, but just tight enough to prevent scope creep.
- Time-box tasks instead of scheduling by list
Assign each task a fixed time block on the calendar rather than a position on an open-ended to-do list.
- Default to shorter meeting lengths
Schedule 25- and 50-minute meetings instead of 30 and 60 — the meeting expands only as far as the slot allows.
- Deliberately underschedule your day to prevent expansion cascade
Leave 20–30% of your workday unscheduled as buffer for tasks that expand beyond their box.
- Work on one task per block to prevent multi-task expansion
Assign each time block a single task — multitasking within a block causes both tasks to expand while neither gets full attention.
Related concepts
- Deep Work, Made Practical
Focus blocks, attention residue, and the shutdown ritual — with the evidence
- Time Blocking, Made Practical
Calendar blocks, day theming, and the deep/shallow split — with the mechanisms
- Essentialism, Made Practical
Less but better — the disciplined pursuit of less, trade-offs, and the mechanisms
- The Pomodoro Technique, Made Practical
The 25/5 cycle, the real mechanisms, and an honest read on the evidence