Google’s ’20% rule’ shows exactly how much time you should spend learning new skills—and why it works
Google’s “20% time” rule, a concept made popular when Google went public in 2004, encourages employees to spend 20% of their time working on what they think will most benefit Google, and this empowers them to be more creative and innovative.
Clearly Identify What You Want to Learn
Be as specific as possible about what skill you want to build.
- Instead of taking 10 courses on 10 different topics, develop mastery in just one. You’ll see faster improvement over time, which will motivate you to continue.
- Real expertise can boost your value to your employer or lead to a side income stream.
Look for ways to make it fun
It takes effort and willpower to guard your 20% time, and it is a lot harder to maintain that willpower if all you’re doing is endless homework and rigorous training sessions.
- If difficult tasks are the only thing you do, you may grow bored or frustrated and want to quit.
Think in decades
Even if you change plans or decide on a different course, the small steps you take now compound over time and give you more options in the future
- Dorie Clark is a marketing strategist and lecturer at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business
- She is the author of “The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World”
- Follow her on Twitter @dorieclark
Win even if you lose
Figure out the minimum benefit you’ll get out of a given situation or opportunity.
- Exposure to a new industry, making connections in a different region, or practicing valuable skills like public speaking and clear communication
- If the minimal outcome alone sounds intriguing, then the project is likely a good bet.
Be flexible and committed
Sometimes you need to bend the rules and be flexible.