I believe that most people waste most of the time they spend working. They could easily not work half of a day, if in the other half of the day they only do the things that should be done. And they’ll be just as productive as working a full day. There are many reasons why we waste time. If you…
Month: November 2016
Can you say no to the idea people?
There are some people that have a knack for having ideas. For getting excited about what could be done. And that rarely ask if things should be done. Or they get people so excited about an idea that everyone forgets to think about if it is a good idea. I’ve been that person, I still am at times. I know…
Confusion helps people learn
A while back someone asked me about something confusing in one of my courses. This course happened to be a thought provoking course. That was the intent. I wanted people to think. When I was making the course, I was worried that people wouldn’t like it. Or that it wouldn’t engage them in deep thought. Turns out quite the opposite.…
Docker and containers are about software
Over the next year I will create several courses about containers and Docker. I’m wrapping up my first course and I wanted to share some of the analogies I used. Docker simplifies using software. If you already understand software then you already understand Docker. When you hear container think process or application. When you hear image think of the file…
Seek help from people that don’t do what you do
If you decide to have someone help you identify habitual waste in the work you do, don’t fret over whether or not they can do the work you do. If you’re a lawyer, they don’t have to be a lawyer. In fact, it would be best if they don’t do what you do because they won’t have preconceptions about what…
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If you touch a hot pan, you’ll yank your hand away instinctively. Incessant noise makes you feel just as compelled to react but you have nothing to yank away. Be mindful that noise will set off the best of us. Yourself included. Of course that doesn’t justify flipping out and attacking someone that’s making noise. Instead it should help you…
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One of the first things I learned when I moved to New York City is that people don’t follow the signs. People go when other people go. And people stop when other people stop. It doesn’t matter much what traffic is doing. I’ve noticed, if I don’t go when the light turns to walk, that other people will often wait…
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I LOVE these new light fixtures we found this weekend. What do you think? A few days ago I stumbled upon several light fixtures missing covers in our kitchen. Turns out Jonathan removed them because there “wasn’t enough light.” At first I was repulsed, they appeared unsightly. Then I wondered, what if we had bought these fixtures from a high…
Have someone observe what you do
If you really want to identify waste in what you do, have someone observe what you do. Of course, be mindful of the Observer Effect. You’ll be surprised what is plain as day to someone else but that you’d never suggest yourself. The key will be to prepare yourself to hear things that you don’t want to hear. It’s normal…
Wasting time is normal
Every day we do things that we shouldn’t do. We sign in to facebook and share a story that we didn’t read. We keep track of ideas that we’ll never get to. We rewrite what we write because we don’t think it is good enough. We think we need to make complete lists, like this one I’m making right now.…