Mind & Psychology•June 15, 2025•1 min read

Law of Triviality: Bikeshedding

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C. Northcote ParkinsonContributor

The Inverse Relationship

Parkinson observed that the time spent on an item in an agenda is inversely proportional to its cost.

  • Nuclear Reactor ($10M): Too complex. No one wants to look stupid. “Approved.”
  • Bike Shed ($2,000): Everyone has an opinion on paint color. “Let’s debate for an hour.”

Avoiding Hard work

Bikeshedding is a form of procrastination. We tackle trivial issues because they make us feel productive and competent. We avoid complex issues because they are scary. If your meeting is dragging on about coffee filters, you are bikeshedding. Stop it and go back to the nuclear reactor.

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C. Northcote Parkinson

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