Time to get Lean!

If you came here for some workout tips and tricks to slim down, you are in the wrong spot.  If you came here to learn how to maximize something so precious, so valuable and craved – TIME – then yes, you are in the right spot.  Your time is so important.  You can’t buy it.  Once it’s passed its gone forever.  How often do we hear the saying, “there just isn’t enough time in the day.”  Well there’s no changing how much time is in a day, but we can get ‘Lean’ and eliminate waste to give us the time that we need to do the things that we want.  

I want to stress that again – to do the things that we want.  Your time gained could very well be spent binge watching Netflix (I may or may not be referring to myself), if that’s what you want.  Maybe you want to start routinely including an activity like blogging, exercising or reading. You may simply be tired of life feeling extremely hectic constantly and would like to be able to slow it down a bit.    Whatever you want with your time, it’s yours.  So let’s find some time and enjoy it.  

So what exactly do I mean when I say get ‘Lean’ and eliminate waste?  

Lean was a term first used in an article in 1988 by John F. Krafcik outlining strategies for the auto industry to increase productivity and quality.  The core of these strategies are still widely used today in successful organizations.

I’m going to break down these proven strategies so we can apply them to our own personal lives to gain productivity, but most importantly, quality.

The term ‘Lean’ was broken down into five key principles(Womack and Jones, 1996 ). I will outline and explain how it correlates to improving our own lives:

1. Define Value:  What do you value?  What is it that you want from life?  What’s important to you? For this article we are discussing specifically time, which as I said is extremely valuable.  However, you can apply the lean process to many other areas of your life.  Use the ‘5 Why’s’ tool discussed in my previous blog to identify your values within a situation and then work from there.  

2. Identify the value stream:  Take a look at the steps and activities do you do regularly?  Whether it is throughout your daily routine or the steps you take to complete a specific task.  Here we are looking to eliminate anything that is wasteful.  (I’ll discuss this more in the next section).

3. Create value flow without interruptions:  This means ensuring that the steps you are taking occur smoothly. That will happen much easier once you eliminate waste.  Another factor to this principle is evaluating the remaining activities that need to occur. See if anyone else can assist with them to relieve your burden.

4. Establish pull value:  This refers to grabbing that valuable item when it’s there.  Perhaps, ideally you would like to carve out time in the evening, you may find that there are extra pockets of time at other points throughout the day.  That time is still valuable, utilize it. 

5. Pursue perfection:  Keep striving for more improvement.  Similar to the phrase “reach for the moon and you’ll land amongst the stars”.  Once you find ways to be more efficient you will start to see other areas that can be improved to give you back your valuable time.

Ok, I know that may seem like a lot but if you are still with me let’s apply it towards the goal of gaining more ‘me time’ in the day.  

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I identified that I value time.  I want to find some ‘me time’ in my busy schedule.  I’m going to reflect on my day to review all of the activities that I’m doing and eliminate the waste.  I’m also going to pull in some resources to help with those remaining activities that have to get done.  Throughout the day I will be mindful of those extra pockets of time that may be created. I will do my best to enjoy them in some fashion as more ‘me time’.   Every so often, I will repeat these steps to ensure I continue to do everything I can to maintain, or even improve, the amount of quality time I’m providing myself.

Now let’s get deeper into Efficiency and Eliminating Waste.

➢ Delegation – Take a look at some of the tasks you do to see if there are resources to help. Can you sign up for grocery delivery?  This has been a huge time saver for me.  Besides the time saved from browsing isle after isle, I find that I buy less impromptu items.  I can avoid store displayed marketing tactics that get me. Can you have other household members help with tasks and chores?  Currently I have 2 toddlers. Even having them clean up each toy before the next activity or taking their dirty clothes to the hamper in the laundry room is a help for me.  Besides the typical chore list, think about small manageable tasks that can be assigned out.

➢ Motion – Do you ever feel like you are running and running but seem to get nowhere? This could be a matter of not being as purposeful in your steps as you can be. Incorporate Small daily tips to make your movement more efficient. For example: Grab dishes from the dishwasher so it’s less to put away later; When going into another room, look around you to take things that belong in that room you are headed to.

➢ Inventory – Not a word you typically think of when it comes to your life but it is truly an important item.  Organizing your environment can help avoid unnecessary steps to get tasks done.  You’ll know what you have on hand and where to find it when you need it. This eliminates time spent searching or even re-purchasing.  

➢ Defects- Us humans sure know how to adapt.  And we will do it without even realizing it.  I’m sure you can think of one item that you use that is broken but you have learned how to ‘make-do’.  Evaluate these things to see if there would be one worth replacing or fixing (i.e. vacuum not running great and takes twice as long to clean your floors).

➢ Over production- This refers to spending the time and resources on something that may not be necessary.  You put all this effort into something, but yet it’s not used. Because I come from a family that loves to eat, my example for this is making too much food.  Whether it be for dinner or a holiday, you overdo it with the amount of things you made.  Or perhaps you are trying to ‘be good’ and plan ahead to meal prep for the week but end up only eating half.  This is time and money spent that is now wasted.  Cut down on the amount of sides for dinner. Or only prep for half of the week because you know by Thursday you’re tired of the same thing.

➢ Waiting or Idle Time – These are those pockets of time I mentioned earlier that may come up throughout the day and we need to capitalize on them. During your commute listen to audiobooks, podcasts, music you like (goodbye baby shark) to fill your cup. Waiting in line at the bank or on the phone for customer service – start reconciling your budget.  I use an app on my phone, so taking care of this task during idle moments will free up some time later.

➢ Excess Processing – With adulting comes an endless amount of odds and ends tasks that we have to do.  So many things I can’t even begin to list here, but you know what I mean.  They’re not fun.  It’s tedious.  But it has to get done. Instead of doing one here and there, try making a list on your phone’s notes as they arise. Then ‘batch’ or ‘cluster’ these tasks.  Most of the time spent, is figuring out what needs to get done and how.  So on your list make sure to include those details (phone numbers, dates, websites etc.).

By incorporating some of these strategies, you will gain time to spend with family; read your book; catch the latest episode. Give it a try.  Get lean.  Eliminate waste.  Enjoy your time.

Leave a comment below and tell me how you incorporated one of the principles of Lean to improve your quality of life.