The 80/20 Rule And How It Can Help You Study
Do you ever feel as though you are working harder and harder yet still waiting to see the results you are looking for? Do you look at the long list of all of the things you are supposed to do and feel overwhelmed and unsure as to where you should make a start?
We can all struggle with drains on our time or energies. So ensuring that we are investing both in the right places is key. It is also vital if we want to avoid feeling stressed or experiencing burnout. For many students looking to see results, this is where they begin to consider the phrase, ‘work smarter, not harder’.
In psychology, the 80/20 rule – otherwise known as the Pareto Principle – dictates that 80 percent of the results will come from only 20 percent of the causes. We can see this all around us when we begin to look; 20% of the world’s population have 80% of the wealth, 20% of criminals commit 80% of crimes and 20% of students will achieve grades of 80% or higher.
So, if we want to ensure that we are part of these 20% and achieve the very best possible results, we should be thinking about the ways in which we can use this principle to our advantage!
How Does The 80/20 Rule Apply To Our Studies?
When we are looking at this principle in relation to our education, the primary factor we should consider is that 20% of the time you spend studying will be leading to 80% of the results you see. By reflecting upon the activities you carry out when you are studying you will be more likely to be able to identify what is leading to the best results. Do you spend hours and hours reading textbooks then find yourself short of time when writing the essay? Do you invest plenty on producing flashcards but very little putting the theories into practice? If, on reflection, you find that the time you are spending studying isn’t as effective as it might be then it’s worth rethinking your approach.
Additionally, it is usually the case that 20% of the content you are required to cover will be at the heart of 80% of the assessment of your understanding. Whilst it is never advisable to ignore any of your course content, by recognising the knowledge, skills and comprehension you are required to demonstrate in order to achieve the results you are looking for, you can ensure that you focus your attention on these areas.
How Can We Use The Rule To Our Advantage?
So, if we are looking to use this principle to ensure that we are able to work smarter, not harder, these simple strategies are a good place to start…
Consider the course content
Take some time to look at the way in which the course you are studying is organised. What topics or modules are most heavily weighted? Is there any overlap when it comes to the knowledge you are expected to gain? What does the assessment look like? Once you understand the areas that come up the most, you can make them your focus and priority.
Plan your time
This sounds obvious, but making certain you spend the time you have well is key when it comes to working more effectively. Give most of your time to the task you have identified as the one that will have the greatest impact. It will always feel like you could have done with more time, so knowing that you have spent the time you did have well will feel reassuring too.
Focus on skills
Whilst knowing a lot about a subject is clearly important, often it is perfecting the skills you are required to demonstrate that can take up the most time. Whether writing essays or something more practical, practicing and refining the skills required will usually lead to the best results.
FAQs
How Does The 80/20 Rule Apply To Our Studies? When we are looking at this principle in relation to our education, the primary factor we should consider is that 20% of the time you spend studying will be leading to 80% of the results you see.
What is 80-20 rule in elearning? ›
When designing adult learning programs, keep in mind 3 main Pareto rules: Find the most important 20% of the content and focus on teaching it; the other 80% is fluff no matter what the Subject Matter Experts say. From this content, ensure that only 20% is theoretical knowledge, and 80% is applied, job-based knowledge.
What is the 80 20 learning method? ›
Here's a tip to help you prioritise: Write a to-do list. If there are ten things on the list, choose the top two most important tasks and focus on them. By working on 20% of your tasks, you will gain 80% of the results from them.
What is the 80-20 rule for learning language? ›
This means that if you know the most basic and commonly used 3,000 words in a language, you should be able to understand 80% of a conversation. We can assume that, in most cases, context would be enough to understand the remaining 20%.
What is the 80-20 rule in learning programming? ›
The 80/20 rule is handy when thinking about code quality and debugging issues. We can apply the Pareto Principle to quality control, as 80% of bugs can be found in 20% of the code. If 80% of bugs lead back to the same lines of code, that should signal to programmers that those lines require additional attention.
What is an example of the 80 20 method? ›
The 80/20 rule is not a formal mathematical equation, but more a generalized phenomenon that can be observed in economics, business, time management, and even sports. General examples of the Pareto principle: 20% of a plant contains 80% of the fruit. 80% of a company's profits come from 20% of customers.
Why is the 80-20 rule effective? ›
The 80/20 principle can be vital where work needs to be driven by relentless incremental progress. Finding the smaller percentages of actions that can yield the most impact in parallel with a few very big transformations is the key to much of effective risk management.
What is the 85% rule for learning? ›
Basically the study's main conclusion says that someone is prone to learn best, when the task at hand is of such difficulty that it allows about 15% failure. Therefore, optimal learning occurs with tasks that lead to about 85% successful completion during learning.
What is the 50 50 rule of learning? ›
Learn for 50% of the time and explain what you learn for 50% of the time. Example, instead of completing a book, aim to read 50 percent and try recalling, sharing, or writing down the key ideas you have learned before proceeding. You could even apply it to the chapters instead of the whole book.
What is the 95 5 rule for language learning? ›
The 95/5 rule states that 95% of a language can be learned by mastering the most common 5% of its vocabulary. This principle applies to language learning, and by focusing on the most commonly used words, learners can achieve proficiency faster.
The 70/30 rule may be the key.
The core idea is that you should spend 70% of your time immersed in the language, and 30% explicitly studying it. This split allows you to rapidly develop fluency, vocabulary, proper grammar, and accurate pronunciation simultaneously.
How many hours a day should I spend studying a language? ›
So, if you're looking to learn a new language quickly, set aside 1 to 2 hours each day for focused, deliberate practice, and you'll be on your way to fluency in no time!
What is a reasonable amount of time to learn a language? ›
In a study done with adolescents learning English as a second language in school, basic conversation skills were achieved within one year of study, oral proficiency in 3-5 years, and advanced academic proficiency in 4-7 years. The length of time required to learn a language also depends a lot on your goals.
