The 80/20 rule.

One of the things I've noticed through the years is that there are many more things to be done in agencies than there were, say, 30 years ago.

Maybe this change is due to my ability to "get things done," maybe it's related to my hands-on-ness, maybe to my seniority. Or maybe it's instead a function of the mind-numbing, soul-sapping complexity we've allowed into what should be a simple business.

Today it seems we have a million dumb little things that take up our entire day. They can consume us. Ruin our lives and our careers.

As I learned years ago, the trick to being a good creative is this. Spend 20% of your time doing the 80% of the crap you've got to do. Spend 80% of your time doing the 20% that matters.