Saving Time a la Ray Kroc

What was it about the McDonald brother’s operation that sparked Ray Kroc’s imagination?  Was it the simplicity of the menu or their production line system of preparing food?  Both! Combined in standard operating sequences, McDonald’s became a place where we could count on consistent food taste and quality.

The principles that we see at work in Ray Kroc’s successful enterprise are:

1.  Keep it simple.  Choose what is essential to your home life, your job, your family.  Let go of the extraneous stuff, activities – anything that will dilute your focus on the important things.

2.  Find a system that works and stick with it.  A system is uses the right tools in an efficient way to produce the desired result.  Think of what you wash first in the shower.  Why? You have developed a system that you consider efficient and that results in a clean body.  There are many filing systems, closet systems, and storage systems designed to save time and make tasks easier.  Find one that works for you.

3.  List the sequence of actions that you use to accomplish a given task.  That way you don’t have to reinvent that operating sequence again.  For example, the next time you pack for a trip, make a list of what you put in your suitcase and toiletries bag.  Refine the list again when you return.  Then the next time you pack, you already have a list to work from.

You may not become a multimillionaire by following these guidelines, but will realize savings in time, money, and brainpower that you can use doing something that brings you joy.