“During the day we acquire information, but at night we sort that information.”

So, while you are sleeping, your brain is active. As a lover of sleep as well as a lover of learning, I like the sound of that!

It reminds me in a way of a story behind the famous 80/20 principle. I’ve written about it before. Here goes.

Once upon a time there was a German military chief called General von Manstein. Here are his (reputed) words of wisdom.

“There are only four types of officer. First, there are the lazy, stupid ones. Leave them alone, they do no harm… Second, there are the hard-working, intelligent ones. They make excellent staff officers, ensuring that every detail is properly considered. Third, there are the hard-working, stupid ones. These people are a menace and must be fired at once. They create irrelevant work for everybody. Finally, there are the intelligent, lazy ones. They are suited for the highest office.”

What’s the moral of this story? Spend more time in planning, delegation and saying ‘no’ than in doing. Focus on the few things that will yield maximum results rather than scattering your energies at everything that seems to need attention. This is the way to act whether you are an entrepreneur, a manager, or the Prime Minister.

So, Gordon, get some sleep and learn the power of lazy intelligence. It certainly did your predecessor no harm…

Richard Koch, The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More With Less, Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2006

Usually, any book with the word ‘secret’ in its title should be shunned. Not so here. This unique work blends economic description with self-help prescription in a wide-ranging and creative way. You may have heard of the Pereto Principle – also nicknamed The Principle of Least Effort, The Principle of Imbalance, and The Rule of the Vital Few – and wondered, “How come?” Koch provides the best answer yet, and in doing do, turns an obscure economic anomaly into something like a world-view.

This 80/20 Principle states that 80% of consequences (outputs) flow from 20% of causes (inputs). There is a lop-sided ratio (‘non-linearity’) between reward and effort in the universe. The trick of effective people and organisations is that they work with this ‘predictable imbalance’, not against it. How? By concentrating on the all-important 20%. This gives them the leverage to achieve much more with less effort, time and resources.

What is great about Koch’s book is that he applies his principle to a wide range of examples from business, personal and social spheres. Money is mentioned, but so is happiness. The style is punchy, practical and profound – a rare mixture. It demands multiple reading, not because it is difficult, but because it is shockingly simple, in the way E=MC² is simple.

Only a little of what we do in life really matters. Reading this book is one of those vital things.