This website covers knowledge management, personal effectiveness, theory of constraints, amongst other topics. Opinions expressed here are strictly those of the owner, Jack Vinson, and those of the commenters.

Break out the WIP

Joe Ely has a great post that ties the ideas of Work-in-Process (WIP) and Inbox Zero: Minimizing Work-in-Process for Knowledge Workers.

We all know the drill; work-in-process is a problem in manufacturing. It ties up cash, limits flexibility, masks problems, decreases customer satisfaction. We’ve seen the “lower the water level; expose the rocks; fix the problems” illustration.

And the connection to Inbox Zero?  Stuff in the Inbox (paper or email) is just WIP.  Reducing that WIP - in this example reducing it to ZERO as a goal - has a great impact on personal effectiveness.  It highlights other holes and gets rid of the mental hangover issues represented by that over-full inbox.

I love Joe Ely's example of monitoring his status.  Everything on a 3x5 card.

[Found via Frank Patrick. thanks!]

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