20% Time Rule

Biological Parallel

Foraging animals allocate 15-25% of time to exploratory behavior even when current patches are productive—blue jays sample new food sources while established caches remain available. This 'explore vs exploit' trade-off is mathematically optimal: 100% exploitation leaves you vulnerable when current resources deplete; 100% exploration wastes proven resources. The 20% ratio emerges from multi-armed bandit problems across species, balancing current efficiency against future adaptability. In uncertain environments, organisms that don't reserve exploration time go extinct when conditions shift.