Time and Efficiency
Thu., October 30, 12:29 PM
One of the basic rules of the Jonah philosophy is the Process of Ongoing Improvement©. Yeah, they copyrighted it. You have to continue.
You analyze the situation, you identify a constraint and you take steps to solve the problem. That’s “elevating” the constraint. Then you go back and analyze the situation again, because by removing one constraint you will reveal others. And so a Jonah teaches, do not allow inertia to prevent your continuous improvement. So simple. And so ignored.
Well, I’m not in production or sales. But as long as we live, we have problems of one type or another, and every now and then we have to take a second look at them. What was once a condition that can’t be changed may now be changeable. If A can be changed, maybe then B and C can be changed too. And if I can't do the things that make me happy in the time available, I have to change something.
As I railed against the shortened daylight hours, I realized that I am not using my time efficiently. I’m a morning person. I’m usually up by six, if not earlier. But Bosslawyer begins the day at ten, which is not really enough to get anything done in between – or is it?
Yesterday, a no-office day, I left for the supermarket a little after nine, shopped and came home to store the perishables. Costco isn’t open until ten-thirty, but by the time I finished bringing stuff home, it was late enough to start out again. So I went out and did some Costco and was home by noon – tired, but with a feeling of accomplishment.
Just a side issue: because the supermarket and the warehouses are in the same direction, I tend to want to do them both at the same time. It’s a habit left over from gasoline shortage days. But I achieved more by making separate trips, and maybe I should do that more often.
This morning was atypical, but it was full as well. I got up early enough to get my morning started – even read the newspaper – before leaving to drive M.D. to work. That’s the next town over, and she has to be in by eight. Then I came back to drive U.D. to the car rental, so she can get around until the insurance company makes a decision on the geezermobile. We got the car, and she was still able to get to work by nine. And I went home and got in half an hour or so online before painting my face and going to the office. It seems that, if I plan carefully, I can do something useful even on an office day.
I even carried the thought further. Maybe I should look for another job? But that’s a discussion for another day.
