Motion Economy: Good Organization Saves Energy, Money & Time

You've heard me speak about good organization, but have you heard of the principles of Motion Economy?

Have you ever ran downtown to do your shopping and errands, and as soon as you returned, you see your un-mailed bill lying on the table that should have been mailed the day before. Aren’t you just irritated at yourself that you forgot it? Now you have to head back out and get to the post office before it closes. It is frustrating because it eats up more of your precious time, energy and is a waste of money.

Of course, everyone forgets and should be forgiven. No one is perfect. But in the business world efficiency experts try to avoid this kind of waste by eliminating unnecessary movement. Their goal is to accomplish more in less time with less energy resulting in less cost. I thought this was just known as being organized, but there is another principle it goes by. You may have heard of it… “motion economy.” Ultimately they are the same.

Definitions of Motion Economy include:

• Momentum should be employed to assist the worker wherever possible, and it should be reduced to a minimum if it must be overcome by muscular effort.
• Work should be arranged to permit an easy and natural rhythm wherever possible.
  

Make the Most Of Every Step

One of my Organizing Tips is to make the most of every step. Never walk by dirty dishes or garbage without picking it up on your way. The same principle is applied at work, if you are going to the coffee room for a cup, grab your shredding or mail to take along the way.

Plan Ahead

When you plan ahead, you definitely save time and money over someone who hastily rushes into things without planning. For example, if you plan an entire week of meals at a time, you do not have the daily worry about what are you going to make for supper today? You do not have to make continual trips to the store for some missing ingredient. Just this simple organizational step or motion economy saves you energy, money and time.

Think Ahead

Thinking ahead involves more than just planning ahead. For example, you may map out a route to take to get to a destination. This is planning ahead. But was it thought out ahead? Perhaps the route you chose has construction and the roads are poor, or the traffic is bad on that route. So this shorter route may end up being more time consuming, costly and perhaps more dangerous. Thinking ahead means not planning the schedule too tight to allow for unforeseen occurrences, such as a flat tire.

Learn Not To Procrastinate

An 18th century English poet Edward Young said, “Procrastination is the thief of time.” Not to mention energy and money. For example, while getting dressed you discover a loose button on your shirt. Do you:
     a) sew it on immediately?
     b) Do you remove it and put it in your mending basket or sewing room?
     c) Do you hang it back in the closet?
     d) Do you just wear it until if eventually falls off and is lost.

Procrastination comes with a cost. It may cost you time, if you put that shirt back in the closet, the next time it may be your only clean one, and now you will be late. Or if you wear it and the button falls off, now you need to replace the whole set. This is just a small example, but when you are faithful in least, you will be faithful in much.

Keep Things In Their Proper Place

“I can’t find my glasses?” “Have you seen where I put my keys?” “Where are the pens in this house?” Sound familiar? The good habit of keeping and returning things to their proper place means you will find them quickly and easily.

Applying this in the work place, a well-organized offices lies in the filing. Papers need to be filed in such a way that they can be retrieved quickly when needed.

What determines the proper place? The place you would logically look for it. Also the practical place for it. If you use it  frequently, you would not put that item at the  back of a top shelf in your closet.

Make The Best Use Of Time

You’ve heard “time is money,” that means your time is valuable. You cannot afford to waste it. One way to conserve your time is to do projects that perhaps are new, or require more concentration when you are fresh and not tired. Also when you are can complete them without distraction or disturbance. Turn off your email notifier, your cell phone, your text messages, your Facebook. Whatever is a distraction.

Another way to make the most of your time is to do several things at once. I don’t mean multitasking which is not really advisable or feasible, such as writing a report while watching TV. You are likely not going to get much out of the TV show, or do very well on your report because you are not focused. I mean, While your cake is baking, make a salad, set the table, and clean up the dishes.

Try to combine less productive jobs with productive ones. For example, if you are sitting in the doctor’s waiting room or stuck in traffic, have something along with you to make best use of that unproductive time.

Motion economy, or being organized, can save you money, energy and time.

Do not be afraid to change the way you do things. Can you cut out unnecessary work and movement? Above all, be balanced. Do not become a perfectionist, do not become a slave to efficiency. There is no need to allow the “joy” of living to deteriorate into nothing more than a coldly efficient “job” of living. But getting organized, or putting motion economy to work for you in a reasonable way will add to your joy and the joy of those around you.

 

Elvie Look: Your Professional Organizing Coach who is helping people get organized with her easy tips and suggestions. These systems help the busy mom, businessman or woman,  entrepreneur or student learn the keys to organizing in simple, actionable and manageable steps. She teaches how to get organized and maintain your organized space while carrying on your normal busy life. She is the author of "21 Steps From Chaos To Calm.

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