Monkey On The Back

A tale on managing tasks, responsiblities, and time

Some time ago, I learned a valuable concept that has significantly helped me manage my time, tasks, and responsibilities more effectively. This concept is known as the "Monkey on the Back." It's a simple but powerful way to think about how we handle our workload and delegate responsibilities. Let me walk you through it.

In this analogy, the monkey represents a task, a problem, or a responsibility that needs attention. When the monkey is on your back, it means you're the one who has to take care of it—you’re the one responsible. You need to feed the monkey, manage it, and ensure it’s taken care of. But here’s the key question: should that monkey even be on your back in the first place? Is this really your task to handle, or should someone else be responsible?

Let's look at a few scenarios to make this clearer:

• First, imagine a situation where a colleague comes to you with a problem, and the two of you brainstorm different solutions together. Once you part ways, who is in charge of the next steps? Is it your responsibility, or is it your colleague's? Even if both of you have actions to take, someone carries the primary responsibility. So, who really has the monkey on their back?

• Now, think about a team member asking for your help with an issue. You may need to reflect on it for a while before providing a response. In this case, because you owe them an answer, the monkey is clearly on your back.

• Or take another scenario: someone from Marketing asks for a favor. Your schedule is already packed, but you want to assist because you're both working toward a shared goal. Later, as you try to figure out when to make time for this favor, you realize the monkey has landed on your back.

So what's the problem with having too many monkeys on your back?

Why is it something to avoid?

There are two major problems.

1. First, a monkey on your back adds to your mental load. When you have a task or problem that’s yours to manage, you have to think about it. This mental effort creates an opportunity cost. The more you're focused on this one task, the less mental space you have for other important tasks and priorities.

2. The second issue is the energy drain. A monkey requires your time and attention. It’s one more thing you need to do, one more thing you need to think about, and one more thing you need to communicate about. Over time, these additional burdens can wear you down, impacting your overall productivity.

One popular recommendation is to always aim to keep the monkey on someone else’s back whenever possible. This is generally a good practice because it means someone else is taking care of the task, and you don’t have to manage it. However, it’s not always feasible to shift responsibility.

Sometimes, it’s perfectly acceptable, and even necessary, for the monkey to remain on your back—especially when the task is inherently your responsibility or when someone, such as a team member, rightly asks for your help or expertise.

In conclusion, whenever you're discussing tasks to be done, problems that need solving, or responsibilities that need assigning, keep the "Monkey on the Back" concept in mind. It’s a helpful way to think through who should really be responsible and how you can avoid taking on unnecessary burdens.

Read the original article here on Harvard Business Review.

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As usual, I will list some of the best articles I read on the Internet. I will keep a list of the best articles (currently >800) at https://www.digital-product-management.com. These are today’s picks:

KI Kompass (German): AI compass, comparing different Large Language Models with each other.

What matters in product management: A list of over-statements of what matters in product management, focusing on impact instead of feature delivery.

Speech opening lines: Opening lines for unforgettable speeches.