Your productivity systems don’t have to be set in stone. It’s okay to start with one system and refine later on. This is what incremental improvement is all about.
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This post is Day #23 of our 25-Day Productivity Challenge! You can find the entire round-up HERE. Make sure you pin this post so you can find it later and don’t forget to take action!
What is Incremental Improvement
The idea of incremental improvement is that small, ongoing positive changes can reap major improvements.
This could mean calling a family meeting and finding out from your team (your family) what systems or tasks are not working. Where is there frustration in the daily flow?
Maybe it’s the process of getting out the door as a family. Maybe your shoe organization needs improved.
Or, it could be the laundry system. Maybe the laundry room is getting backed up because too many people are trying to do their laundry on the same day.
Maybe you’re trying to help your kids be independent with getting their breakfast in the morning, but it always seems to end with crying, chaos, and spilled milk. Find out where the roadblock is. Can they reach the cereal? Can they pour the milk? Where is this system falling apart? Now make small changes to improve it based on their input.
This type of gradual improvement usually works better than radical changes to the system or top-down rule changes to systems.
How to use it to increase productivity
So, based on the concept of delegating to your team, ask for your family’s input as you create and improve the systems and productivity of your household.
Your team members who actually work the system might have the best solutions for improving it.
If your kids are constantly having trouble with the pet care, ask where the problem lies. Maybe they can’t reach the pet food. So, a simple solution would be to move it to a location that they can reach without your help.
Or, maybe cleaning the bathroom is not getting done, even though you’ve created a chore system. Find out if the problem is information (they don’t know what to do), implementation (they don’t know how to do it), or a lack of tools (maybe you need to store the cleaner and a sponge in a better location).
Little by little, you will improve the systems in your home and homeschool and find increased productivity when you use incremental improvement.
It’s okay to start with one system at the beginning, and then refine as you go! It will get better with time.
Check out the complete 25 Day Productivity Challenge!
