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3. Operations Streamlining

The problem: Competing priorities, resulting in fragmented time

The biggest challenge in Operations is competing priorities. The natural consequence is multi-tasking – which is really fast task-switching – with a growing overhead on each switch (starting at 14 minutes to get to deep concentration when you’re fresh and growing as the day progresses).

A third of people’s time is wasted – irretrievably and unnecessarily – through unnecessary task-switching: multi-tasking, interruptions, competing deadlines and conflicting priorities.

The solution: Defragment your and your people’s time

The solution is to do things in series rather than in parallel, wherever possible. This gets more done faster and better – but flies in the face of ordinary intuition which reasons that the best way to get things done early is to start early. Here are three basic techniques to get you started:

1. Task-Batching: Batch similar tasks where possible, to reduce the task-switching overhead (the time it takes to set one task down and setup for the next one). Task-batching might enable you to do 5 similar tasks with 1 setup, saving 4 setups or more throughout the day.

2. DND-Slots (Do Not Disturb): Set aside regular one or two hour slots where you can work interruption-free. This can be across the entire team as well as staggered to ensure that service levels are being met. Use this time for processing work that needs deep concentration.
3. Interruption Windows: Set aside regular interruption windows for staff members and colleagues to use for queries and questions.  Interruption Windows have the added benefit of allowing people to batch their queries.

There are many other ways of reducing unnecessary task-switching. The impact of these three will astound you - as will your people's ingenuity in applying the principle elsewhere.

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