Adapt This Japanese Productivity Model to Get More Done
Many great productivity techniques come from the world of Japanese manufacturing. 5S techniques help you keep your workspace clean so you can get more done, Kaizen helps you improve the processes and workflow of your work, and Kanban helps you schedule tasks in the most efficient way. They’ll be useful even if you don’t work within the famous Toyota Production System; they can be adapted to any operating scenario, which is also true for the 3 M model, which originated there. The 3 M’s are the types of waste you need to identify and eliminate to keep your operation running smoothly.
What is 3ms?
Lean process thinking or lean manufacturing is a production method that aims to save time in the production process. The 5S technique is an integral part of lean thinking, as are the 3 M’s. These are “muda”, “mura” and “muri”, and all of them refer to the types of wasteful practices that slow you down and prevent you from being productive. By identifying and eliminating them, you can simplify everything you need to do. To make them work in your daily life, you’ll need to adapt them a bit, but once you get used to recognizing where things are stalling and making adjustments accordingly, you’ll be able to get the job done quickly.
Identifying and eliminating 3 Ms
Here’s what each of the three Ms represents:
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Muda is translated from Japanese as “futility” or “futility.” This is anything that doesn’t add value to your work and comes in two forms: Type 1 is the activities in your process that don’t add value but are still necessary to achieve the end result, such as safety checks, which I don’t give to physical product manufacturers any financial reward, but bring benefits to customers. You can’t really avoid Type 1, but you should focus on identifying and eliminating Type 2: Activities that don’t add value to the process or the end result.
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A mura is any unevenness in your work. Anything that is not uniform, regular or planned is mura. Too much mura will lead to muda. For example, if you’re working on a bunch of project tasks at your job and your coworker is only working on one or two, that’s actually wasteful because you’ll be waiting for them to complete their tasks.
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Muri is any overload on an instrument or person. It can result from mura, as in the example above, but it can also result from overuse. For your purposes, think that this applies to you. When you are overworked, overworked, or under-resourced, your productivity decreases. This is Muri.
To eliminate muda, identify what unnecessary steps you are taking in your work. Get to know Kaizen here as it is a process designed to make you work efficiently . If you find yourself frequently doing unnecessary tasks that don’t add much value in the end, such as changing colors and fonts in a presentation you’ve already completed, or constantly tweaking your emails before sending, consider that you may be exhausting yourself. too much time to make them. Parkinson’s Law states that the more time you have to do something, the longer you will procrastinate and complicate it. Reduce the amount of time you give yourself to complete certain tasks so that the pressure of completing them helps you focus only on those elements that are absolutely necessary.
To eliminate mura, start tracking your work progress and determine what is slowing you down. Does he expect letters from clients? Does he wait for a colleague to complete his part of the project? Are you spending too much time in meetings and not enough time working? Is this a bad planning method on your part? It may take several weeks of careful time tracking , but eventually a pattern will emerge. If you spend too much time waiting for emails from clients, develop a system whereby you send emails with work inquiries the next day in the afternoon, giving them time to respond by the time you need them, for example do it. If it’s your own poor planning, start making better to-do lists using Kanban or the 1-3-5 method , which reduces your daily tasks to just nine and allows you to focus on the most key ones in order of importance.
Finally, to get rid of muri, evaluate your workload. If you’re missing deadlines, feeling overwhelmed, not getting the resources you need, or have too much on your plate, you need to optimize what you’re working on so you don’t burn out completely. Try using the ABCDE method to rank all your responsibilities. Tasks A are the most important, followed by tasks B, but you will feel less overwhelmed when you realize that tasks C are optional, D means delegation, and E means elimination. Delegate tasks to someone else if you are overwhelmed, and generally avoid doing unnecessary tasks. Some burdens, like meetings, can’t be avoided, but if possible, schedule yourself at least one day a week when you don’t have meetings. Remember to take regular breaks to stay productive using a method like the time-tested Pomodoro technique .
Learning to recognize and eliminate these different types of waste will make your job easier, reduce your burden, and ensure things run smoother so you can truly be productive, whether you’re building a Camry or a new spreadsheet for investors.