Have you ever felt like you’re doing everything right, posting on social media and showing up for your clients, yet have nothing to show for it? Sometimes it’s not about doing more; it’s about doing what matters most. Not the overwhelming strategy, but the one that brings clarity and momentum.
In this article, we’ll talk about two powerful productivity hacks that changed the game for me (and many others):
✅ The Pareto Principle (also known as the 80/20 rule)
✅ The ‘1% Better Every Day’ mindset.
Together, these two simple ideas can help you grow your business without burning out or chasing perfection.
Let’s get started.
The 80/20 Productivity Hack in Business and Why It Matters
We shouldn’t waste our time and energy on things that don’t give anything back. Yet in business, we often do exactly that without realising it.
You could be posting on social media every day, spending hours designing graphics and writing blogs, but when you check your analytics, you find most of your leads and sales are coming from your email list.
That’s the Pareto Principle at work, also known as the 80/20 rule. Here’s what it means:
➡️ 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts.
This is backed by decades of data and is widely used across industries such as sales, marketing, software development, and time management.
Let’s look at how this applies in real life:
- 20% of your content might be driving 80% of your website traffic.
- 20% of your products or services might be generating 80% of your revenue.
- 20% of your client base might be responsible for 80% of your repeat business or referrals.
So why does this matter?
Because once you know what your top 20% is, you can stop spreading yourself thin and start doubling down on what’s working.
This shift is one of the most powerful productivity hacks for small-business owners, coaches, and course creators. Instead of getting caught up in busywork or chasing every shiny new trend, you get laser-focused on the strategies, platforms, and offers that deliver results.
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How to Find Your 20% Productivity Sweet Spot
Here’s the thing: the 80/20 rule only works if you know what your 20% is. So how do you figure that out? Here’s a simple way to uncover your productivity sweet spot, the actions that give you the biggest return on your time, energy, and creativity.
Step 1: Review Your Results
Think back to your last three sales, collaborations, or meaningful wins.
Where did they come from?
What content, platforms, or offers were involved?
You might find that a particular Instagram Reel brought in two new coaching leads, or that your free challenge funnel converted better than anything else.
Step 2: Tune Into Your Energy
Your energy is data, too.
What tasks make you feel energised, creative, or confident?
What feels heavy, draining, or like you’re forcing it?
Chances are, your zone of genius overlaps with your top 20%. This is the work that flows easily and feels aligned, and it’s often where your biggest impact happens.
Ask Yourself:
Where does most of my engagement come from?
What content is getting saved, shared, or commented on?
What feels aligned and effective, not just busy or trendy?
Analytics help, but so do gut feelings and your audience’s reactions. Look at your DMs, your replies, and your best testimonials.
When you find that “magic 20%”, you unlock the key to:
- Consistent content creation without overwhelm
- A sustainable digital product strategy
- Long-term, organic online business growth
And most importantly, you reclaim your time and mental space.
The 1% Better Every Day Productivity Principle Explained
Now let’s shift gears and talk about something simple, beautiful, and wildly effective: the 1% rule. This idea, popularised by James Clear in Atomic Habits, is rooted in the power of small, consistent improvements. If you get just 1% better each day, you’re not just a little better by the end of the year; you’re actually about 37 times better. That’s compounding progress.
Here’s how this helps you share your knowledge more effectively:
You don’t need to write your whole course this week.
You don’t need to show up on every platform.
You don’t need to have it all figured out.
You just need one micro-win today:
- Write one email.
- Record one lesson intro.
- Reach out to one potential collaborator.
- Brainstorm one module idea.
These are small wins that lead to big results. They help you trust yourself and bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
How the 80/20 Rule and the 1% Principle Work Together to Improve Your Productivity
So, how do these two mental hacks work together? Here’s the magic formula:
- The 80/20 rule gives you focus; it tells you what to work on.
- The 1% rule gives you consistency and helps you keep going, one small step at a time.
Together, they create a calm, repeatable rhythm that helps your business grow without setting yourself up for burnout. You stop trying to do everything and start doing the right things every day.
If you’ve been spinning your wheels or questioning your efforts, take a break and look at what’s really working.
A 3-Step Plan to Apply These Rules This Week
1. Audit the Last 30 Days
Take a moment to review your recent efforts.
What content got the most engagement: likes, shares, saves, or replies?
What offers or posts led to actual sales or client enquiries?
What tasks felt smooth and energising, and which ones drained you?
2. Choose One Action to Double Down On
Once you’ve found your 20%, it’s time to back it.
Is it your weekly newsletter that consistently drives traffic to your website?
Are your discovery calls leading to the most conversions?
Maybe it’s your long-form blog content that gets shared and bookmarked.
Whatever is working, own it. Stop trying to be everywhere and focus on getting results somewhere.
3. Commit to 1% Progress Daily
Keep it doable. Track it with a checklist or journal. Reflect at the end of the week.
Bonus tip: Schedule 30 minutes every Friday to review what’s working and what’s not. It’s the best way to stay intentional and agile.
Ready to Simplify Your Business?
This week, try putting these two simple rules into practice:
Focus on your 20%.
Improve it by 1% every day.
You’ll be amazed at how calm, clear, and productive your business can feel.
If you’re ready to stop juggling 10 different tools just to share your knowledge, take a look at Wisdome, an all-in-one platform for online coaches, course creators, and online educators. It’s built to help you focus on what works.
