DailyKaizen

This Saturday I retreated to my desk to do some work while I listened to NPR in the background. A timely and interesting interview came on with an economist for the University of Chicago. The subject of the interview was about how Americans are overworking themselves, which the economist believes is the main cause of productivity declines that have been reported in recent months. He has some data that showed that for every hour over fifty than a white collar employee works there is actually a negative impact on overall productivity.

This interview made me reflect on the projects I am currently working on and how much wasteful work is completed every day with good intention. How most organizations in today’s economy are constantly asking every employee to do more work with less, which will inevitably prove to be unsustainable. This interview reinforced to me the importance of LEAN thinking, where we focus on reducing waste as opposed to attacking direct labor. This interview also motivated me to put my work away and enjoy my Saturday!

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