In today’s lesson, we’re going to kick-start module 3 “Optimize your workflow”, introduce kanban (and the four must-use columns to keep your daily tasks organized), and create your own kanban system in Trello.
Video Lesson
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Time: 4:50
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Click full screen (lower right corner) to increase the size
Lesson Summary
Module 3: Optimize your workflow
In this module, you’ll:
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get a simple step-by-step process to prioritize your workflow.
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understand the difference between capacity and flow—and why they’re key to achieving your goals.
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visualize your work and limit your work-in-progress (WIP).
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define SMART goals to set you up for success.
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discover why To-Do lists are slowing your down—and what to do instead.
And, as usual, you’ll get real, actionable, and proven methods to succeed.
Introducing kanban
Kanban (pronounced “Kahn-Bahn”) is Japanese for “a card you can see and touch.” Using a kanban system, you move cards through a board—similar to what we did in Trello in the previous chapter—to help you visualize your workflow through different stages.
In their book Personal Kanban, Jim Benson and Tonianne Barry highlight two rules:
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visualize work
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limit your work-in-progress (WIP)
Visualize work and limit WIP
Kanban—or a kanban board—is a visual and kinesthetic representation of your work.
Kanban is superior to traditional To-Do lists because it:
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provides context.
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visually highlights trade-offs between choosing one item over another.
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lets you physically “move” items throughout your workflow (instead of just checking them off a To-Do list, never to be seen again).
Kanban is also excellent for identifying bottlenecks—so you can constantly improve your processes.
Kanban columns
A simple kanban includes four columns:
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**Backlog **– everything you might want to do
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To**-****Do **– things you’re going to do in near future
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Doing – things you’re doing right now
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Done – things that are done
Create your kanban system
You can either copy the 10x Life: Kanban board template or create it from scratch.
To create a Trello kanban board:
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Log into Trello
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Click “Boards” in the top left of the page.
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Click “Create New Board”
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Name it Kanban
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Add a list for each kanban column (Backlog, To-Do, Doing, Done)
Nice!
Your kanban will change your life. It is, without a doubt, the single biggest factor in achieving your dreams. And we’ll explain exactly how in future lessons lesson.
For now, take some time to add your to-do’s in your kanban. Think big and small. Remember, your backlog list is a brain dump so go crazy.
In the next lesson, we’re going to look at the difference between capacity and flow and dive into SMART goals.
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