After simplifying a procedure the next step on the list is to streamline the process, also known as therblig. Therblig isn’t about changing the process or making the steps shorter. It’s about completing the steps in the process faster. This is used heavily in manufacturing where people have to interact with the process. We can apply this where we would take the step of getting the physical file you get daily from across the room to moving it into a filing cabinet that is next to your desk. The task is the same but the time it takes is incredibly different. We have taken the liberty to give some tips that don’t seem necessary but when added up can save you a nice chunk of time.

Some of these examples seem obvious but we need to look at our own processes and see where we can make the steps quicker.

Technology

Problem: Typing in email addressed used frequently.
Solution: Adding email address to your contact list.
Most emailing software/websites you can just type in the first few letters and it will bring up all the contacts with that name.

Problem: Dialing numbers frequently used.
Solution: Adding those numbers to your speed dial. With a number on speed dial that call is just 1 click away instead of 7 to 10.

Problem: Logging onto frequently used websites.
Solution: Bookmark the website. When a website is bookmarked it is a lot easier to access than to type in the entire website every time you need to visit that site.

Office

Problem: Messy Desk, full of clutter.
Solution: Clean up your desk, keep it organized.We talked about the benefits here.

Problem: Getting up and going across the room to get files used daily.
Solution: Move those files to a filing cabinet close by. If the files are close by you can just turn your chair instead of getting up and going to the opposite side of the office.

Problem: Manually look through a paper rolodex to find a contact.
Solution: Convert your paper rolodex into a computer program so you can just search a certain name. Computer programs can make searching a contact simpler by just searching a few letters instead of sifting through each letter.

Problem: Pulling up the clock on the computer every time you need to see the date.
Solution: Keep a physical calendar close so you can take a quick look. Not having a calendar on your desk can make for extra room but instead of completely getting rid of it move it some place visible where you can get a quick glance to find the date. These are just a few helpful, simple things that can save you time and make you more money in the long run. A few seconds here and there add up to hours throughout the year, that’s hours of wasted time and money. By adding these small details to the already simplified procedures it will add even more productivity to your office.