When faced with a daunting task, we’ve all been told ‘do your best’ or ‘give it your all’ But according to science, doing a little bit less than your best could lead to better results.
Allow us to introduce the 85/15 rule, which might just change the way you view work forever. The theory states that giving a task 85% effort, rather than the maximum, is the key to being happier at work, and avoiding problems such as burnout and low morale.
And if you think your boss might not be on board, take note - even high-profile business leaders agree. Tim Martin, the founder of JD Wetherspoon, recently said ‘I think 85 per cent is about right because it’s a marathon race. On the wall of our office, we’ve got a picture of [the mythical Greek character] Sisyphus, condemned by the gods to push a boulder uphill forever. Running a business is like that. You need to keep something in reserve since the task is incessant.’
The method is also used by athletes and actors. In an interview with the American entrepreneur Tim Ferris, Hugh Jackman explained why he tries to live by the 85% rule. ‘If you tell most, sort of, A-type athletes to run at their 85 percent capacity, they will run faster than if you tell them to run 100 because it’s more about relaxation and form and optimising the muscles in the right way,’ he told the Tim Ferriss Show. When asked if he agrees, Tim replied: ‘I do. I definitely do. I mean, if I think about the times when I’ve performed best, it’s never when I’m whipping myself extra fast and extra hard with a cat o’ nine tails because I don’t need that.’ Usain Bolt is also said to use the strategy to improve his performance.
According to Anji McGrandles, a workplace mental wellbeing expert and founder of The Mind Tribe, neuroscience studies suggest that the brain performs best when dealing with an 85% success rate and a 15% fail rate. ‘We tend to be most motivated when working on a task that is right on the edge of our current capabilities,’ she tells Grazia. ‘Operating at 85% makes sense when you think about how we best perform when starting something new or taking on a challenge. If things are too easy then we quickly get bored, we don’t get that dopamine hit and walk away. If things are too hard and it’s difficult to gain traction, we quickly feel demotivated, and this leads to us giving up.’
It's true that we're feeling increasingly frazzled by work. Research by LumApps shows that an enormous 88% of UK employees have experienced burnout over the last two years, with one third claiming to suffer mental and physical exhaustion due to pressures within the workplace. Gen Z are the most likely generation to take it a bit easier at work – one survey found that 42% of Gen Z workers aged between 18 and 24 make work-life balance, working from home and flexible holiday.
If you love a TikTok scroll, you might have noticed the growing backlash against hustle culture. The hashtag 'Quiet Quitting' - doing the bare minimum at work - has amassed over 9 million views, while references to 'Lazy Girl Jobs' – those that pay well enough for you to live comfortably but don’t consume too much of your time and energy - are everywhere. And, while we fully endorse anything that helps us to feel happier at work, the 85/15 rule might just be the happy medium. You aren’t spending the day lounging in bed but you don't feel like you have to girl boss every task that comes your way either.
‘Operating at 85% is not slacking off. It’s simply building into your working day some self-care and knowing that your best is good enough, otherwise it will lead to burnout,’ explains Anji. ‘Managers and bosses should be looking at how to get the best out of their team and helping them work smarter, not harder. When your mind is relaxed you can be more productive and produce better results.’
So next time you're deciding between working through lunch or hitting the gym, take note - the latter could make you more productive.
How can I apply the 85/15 rule?
Anji McGrandles explains that there are easy hacks we can build into our working day to level up productivity while supporting our mental wellbeing. She's shared some of her top tips for implementing the 85/15 rule with Grazia.
Prioritise your daily tasks
This helps you to focus on what's important. One way to do this is using the 1-3-5 tool. Take from your to do list one big task, three medium tasks and five small tasks and focus on them for the day.
Get planning
Plan your work around when you are most effective. For example, if you are a morning person do your big task first thing and save your five small tasks for the end of the day.
Take breaks
Try building 'mind breaks' into your working day. This could be a five-minute block walk or a cup of tea in the garden. It's just about getting some time away from your desk.
Set boundaries
Try and establish a clear cut off point when you end your working day. Also, get clear on what’s unnecessary. Do you need to be copied in on every email or be on every Zoom meeting? Focus on quality rather than quantity.