Eliminate Waste with the 4 Cs
To bring more ease into your life, you need to develop the habit of eliminating waste using the 4 Cs.
What are the 4 Cs?
This 4 Cs method was introduced in "Dramatic Improvement Techniques for Overtime-Ridden Workplaces" by Kumiko Shimizu. While originally intended for the workplace, it is a method that can also be applied to individuals. First, let me introduce the 4 Cs.
1. Cut
Clarify the purpose of what you are doing, and if it is not necessary, stop doing it.
2. Convert
Instead of doing things you are not good at yourself, pass them on to someone who is skilled at them.
3. Combine
Consolidate scattered tasks and finish them together.
4. Create
Identify what should truly be done by looking at things from a different perspective.
Applying the 4 Cs in the Workplace
Before considering individual application, I will introduce examples of workplace application from "Dramatic Improvement Techniques for Overtime-Ridden Workplaces" (Kumiko Shimizu).
First is 1. Cut. Instead of passively completing assigned tasks, take the initiative to judge whether they are necessary, and if they are not, adopt a policy of stopping them. The book introduces this attitude as follows:
The best consultants often ask, "What is the purpose of doing that?" This is not an act of rebellion against work they do not want to do, but a proactive attitude aimed at avoiding wasting time on unnecessary tasks and focusing on more productive work.
Next is 2. Convert. Transfer low-difficulty tasks from veterans to younger staff, or outsource them to external vendors, so that you can focus on higher-level work.
Perhaps because many Japanese companies have work that is highly dependent on specific individuals, I think there are many cases where temporary staff are utilized as assistants. When I reformed training operations, I took the training management tasks that were being performed in pairs by employees and their temporary assistants, and outsourced the operational tasks such as attendee management and classroom management to an external vendor, transferring them from the temporary staff.
In 3. Combine, efficiency is improved by consolidating scattered tasks.
Even just consolidating email processing—which you might do whenever it comes to mind—into twice a day, morning and evening, or handling submissions once a week, can significantly reduce the time required. This is because work always requires preparation time at the start and cleanup time at the end, so spreading it out only increases waste.
The final one, ④ Create—think from a different perspective—involves shining a light on what work should ideally look like and focusing on the tasks that truly need to be done.
At one call center, there was a problem where customers were kept waiting because the call volume was so high. They set a goal to shorten operator response times to handle as many calls as possible. Since this improves efficiency, it seems like a good initiative at first glance. However, if you look at it from the perspective of overall corporate efficiency, shouldn't the number of calls themselves be reduced?
Applying the 4 Cs Personally
These 4 Cs can also be used in your personal life.
For example, is your smartphone filled with apps you don't use? Are there items on your desk that you probably won't use ever again? Or perhaps there are services you subscribed to but never use, magazines you haven't read, or promotional emails that are no longer necessary.
Taking 10 minutes a week to “Cut” these wasteful things will, above all, make you feel refreshed, and you can also save wasted money and time. It is important to first develop the habit of cutting things close to you.
Next is “Convert,” but while it might be difficult for an individual to hire services like housekeeping due to costs, you can still benefit by using online supermarkets, having heavy items delivered via Amazon, or utilizing services like Uber Eats.
You can also enjoy the benefits of digital time-saving by having ChatGPT check the text you've written, using a Roomba to clean your room, or subscribing to a book summary service.
I also use a dishwasher at home, and I can no longer imagine life without it; I've been using it for nearly 10 years and it hasn't broken down.
As for the third, “Combine,” I purchase supplements and daily necessities in bulk during Amazon sales a few times a year. You get more points, and it's more efficient than clicking to buy things one by one as they run out.
Also, when studying a certain theme, I make it a point to read several books in the same genre together. Understanding and retention are significantly better than reading them separately over a period of time. You can also skip over similar parts.
The final one, “Create,” I interpret as valuing my own sense of values in my personal life. Only by valuing what I want to do does it feel like my own life, and it is stressful to compromise on that.
Even if it's something I've been doing until now, if I think it has no meaning for the “current” me, I stop it, and even if my favorite shop raises prices, if going there is best for me, I don't go out of my way to look for a cheaper place.
Rather than leaving myself to the “inertia” of my daily life, I actively rethink my life routines and try to improve the quality of my life.
Summary
This article showed that you can use the 4 Cs to increase productivity in the workplace, and they can be applied to your personal life in the same way. You want to avoid a situation where you are efficient at work but your personal life is full of waste and lackluster.