Battle Against Waste

What are 7 types of waste in Lean (Muda), what do they mean for your life, and how to fight them.

This is the second half of a 2-piece post: Agile for Exploration, Lean for Optimization, and it looks into using Lean to optimize our life by fighting 7 types of waste.

If you’re interested in using Agile for experimentation, check the first post.

What Is Waste?

In lean, waste (Muda) is an activity that takes resources but brings no value to the end-user or product. Not all wasteful activities can be eliminated from the work process however, but the goal is to minimize them, and only do them when necessary. And the same is true for private life.

7 Types of Waste and How to Fight Them

Toyota – famous for the Toyota Production System (TPS) which is the foundation for lean manufacturing – strived to eliminate all forms of inefficiency or waste from their workflow. They identified seven forms of waste:

1. Waste of overproduction

2. Waste of Time on Hand (Waiting)

3. Waste in Transportation

4. Waste of Processing Itself

5. Waste of Inventory

6. Waste of Movement

7. Waste of Making Defective Products

Let’s take a look at each, and how to battle it in life.

Waste of Overproduction

In the workplace, overproduction occurs when we generate excessive reports, fill unnecessary documents, or create complex solutions for simple problems. Similarly, in our personal lives, overproduction manifests as overengineering solutions or overdoing personal documentation and to-do lists. 

How to battle this waste? Do less, achieve more.

Simplifying processes and focusing on essentials can save time and energy, allowing us to accomplish more with less effort.

Waste of Time on Hand (Waiting)

Whether it's waiting on QA, code reviews, goods to be delivered, or approvals at work, waiting can be a significant source of waste. In our personal lives, waiting can manifest as procrastination or unproductive waiting between tasks or personal projects.

How to battle this waste? Embrace active waiting.

Rather than passively waiting, adopt an active waiting mindset. Use these moments to engage in meaningful activities, such as learning, reflecting, or planning. Transform idle time into productive time and watch your accomplishments grow.

Waste in Transportation

Transportation waste in the workplace involves unnecessary movement of goods or information. Similarly, in our personal lives, it can arise from disorganized logistics or inefficient routines. 

How to battle this waste? Optimize movement and proactively plan.

By optimizing movement, we can reduce wasted time and energy. Plan your daily activities, prioritize tasks, and organize your living or working space to minimize unnecessary movement. Streamlining transportation will lead to increased focus and productivity. Personal tip: when you have to use some time in traffic, e.g. while commuting to work, a good podcast or audiobook can make all the difference.

Waste of Processing Itself

Processing waste refers to any unnecessary steps or actions taken during a task or process. In the workplace, this could be caused by convoluted approval procedures or redundant decision-making processes with multiple unnecessary layers. In our personal lives, it might stem from overthinking or overcomplicating different tasks. 

How to battle this waste? Simplify where possible, and resist overthinking. 

Streamline your actions by focusing on the essential steps needed to achieve your desired outcomes. Simplify processes, delegate (or automate) when appropriate, and avoid unnecessary layers of complexity. Remember to always check if you’re overthinking, and also if you are working on improving the way you do something, even when it’s already quite optimized and you get no significant value out of the additional improvements.

Waste of Inventory

Inventory waste in the workplace occurs when excess materials or resources are stockpiled, both physical and digital, which leads to increased costs and decreased efficiency. In our personal lives, this waste translates into clutter, both physical, digital, and mental. 

How to battle this waste? Reduce excess and clutter.

Adopt a minimalist mindset. Regularly declutter your physical space, digital devices, and even your mind. Simplifying your environment allows for improved focus, reduced stress, and increased clarity.

Waste of Movement

Movement waste arises from unnecessary physical or intellectual movements within a work setting. This could include excessive walking or searching for information. In our personal lives, it can manifest as disorganized living spaces or inefficient routines.

How to battle this waste? Be mindful of your surroundings and optimize.

Optimize movement by arranging your living and working space for easy access to frequently used items, creating systems for organizing belongings, and establishing efficient daily routines. Don’t forget your digital space as well, such as different files and assets, messages, accounts, and different information.

Waste of Making Defective Products

The waste of making defective products involves the production of items that do not meet quality standards. In our personal lives, this waste can be seen as the time and energy spent on rework or fixing mistakes. 

How to battle this waste? Aim for excellence.

Aim for excellence in everything you do. Take the time to understand expectations, ensure clarity, and prioritize quality over quantity. By focusing on producing high-quality work, you'll reduce waste caused by errors, rework, or dissatisfaction.

Bringing It Together

A starting point, and an important step forward, is being aware of different types of waste in our work and life.

Note, however, that not all wasteful activities can be eliminated from the work process or life, and you shouldn’t become obsessed with overoptimization (in fact, if you were careful, you may recognize this behavior as a type of waste).

Should you start it, good luck on your journey of optimization! And share your experiences, impressions and thoughts :)

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This is the second half of a 2-piece post: Agile for Exploration, Lean for Optimization, and it looks into using Lean to optimize our life by fighting 7 types of waste.

If you’re interested in using Agile for experimentation, check the first post.