Economist Writing Every Day

Parkinson’s Law, the principle that “work expands to fill the time available for its completion,” was originally intended as a satirical observation on bureaucratic inefficiencies. However, it has broader applications, especially in academic life. When preparing to teach an intermediate microeconomics class, for example, I often find that Parkinson’s Law applies: no matter how much time I dedicate, there’s always more content, illustrative examples, and analysis that could be included. The time invested in preparation creates a tradeoff between covering the broad spectrum of microeconomic theories versus delving deeply into a few core concepts. Either approach can be effective, but Parkinson’s Law reminds me that more preparation doesn’t always imply improvement.

Teaching intermediate microeconomics presents a natural tradeoff between breadth and depth. The course covers foundational concepts like consumer and producer theory, market structures, and welfare economics, and each of these areas is rich with intricate details, special cases, and real-world applications. A broader approach would expose students to more topics, providing a more comprehensive view of microeconomics. Exploring fewer topics fosters more critical thinking and analytical skills. Too much preparation on one topic can detract from time that could be spent introducing other essential concepts… Or other classes for that matter.

Let’s say I have a few hours to prepare for a Monday lecture on consumer theory. I might fall into a spiral of over-preparation: digging into endless variations of consumer surplus or finding additional applications that illustrate price elasticity. This is precisely what Parkinson’s Law warns against; if I pour time into my preparation, then the lecture becomes denser beyond the ideal for my students’ comprehension.

The extra hours may result in a more detailed presentation, but this doesn’t necessarily mean better learning outcomes. A concise, well-planned lecture is often just as effective—if not more so—than one crammed with detail. Overwhelming students with information that won’t stick is bad pedagogy.

Maybe the optimal amount of time spend on preparation is less that what I would prefer. Just as consumers choose between goods within a budget, instructors choose how to allocate limited preparation time to maximize…. Well, we do lots of things: research, admin, letters, committee work, etc. If I’m *perfectly* happy with a lecture, then sometime has probably gone wrong in one of my other areas of responsibility.

Spending hours on one lecture may yield small improvements, but these gains are often not proportionate to the time invested.

What I’ve found through years of teaching is that neither breadth nor depth is universally “better” when teaching intermediate microeconomics. A semester that’s full of many examples and tells students that everything is economics. A semester of intense focus gives them respect for what they can do that students in other disciplines don’t. The key is to avoid the trap of Parkinson’s Law by recognizing that time spent preparing will never be “enough” to cover everything, so I consider the goals of the course and what will be expected of a student who completes it.

How can instructors avoid over-preparing while still providing meaningful learning experiences? Here are a few strategies that have helped me balance Parkinson’s Law with the demands of an intermediate microeconomics class:

1. Limit Prep Time per Topic: Set specific preparation time limits to curb over-researching or over-complicating concepts. When I limit myself to 5-15 minutes for each topic, I’m forced to focus on the essentials.
2. Focus on Learning Outcomes: Before diving into preparation, I identify the learning objectives for each lecture. This way, I’m reminded of the main points students need to understand, which keeps me from wandering into tangential topics.
3. Create outlines for Lectures: Structuring each lecture with a list of things to teach. Once we’ve beat one horse, we move on to the next one.* I’m note distracted by covering specific examples. If they get the idea that’s listed on the outline, then I move on.

Conclusion

Parkinson’s Law offers a valuable reminder for educators: more preparation *may* result in better teaching. But the attention that can be given to any one course is at the cost of time spent on another. In an intermediate microeconomics course, the choice between covering more material or going into depth is not just a matter of personal teaching style; it’s an economic decision about how to allocate scarce time to maximize student learning comprehensively. By focusing on the essentials and avoiding the temptation to over-prepare, educators can provide clear, focused lectures that resonate with students and make the best use of their limited time too.

---

*What an idiom!