Kaizen in retirement

[Chuckanut]

I have just read the article below dealing with "Kaizen", the Japanese philosophy of contant improvement or "good change."

Most of the article deals with the work environment, but it has occurred to me that as retired fellow, this is something I can now do more of in my personal life. Who says Kaizen only applies to production lines?

Get Better at Getting Better: The Kaizen Productivity Philosophy

One way I believe I have improved my life has been to prepare my own meals and thus eat better, more healthy food. Also, I have recently started to re-organize my living space so as to eliminate time wasting clutter and distracting minor nuisances.

Anybody care to share their Kaizen examples?

Are there any ways you have

 

[manerac]

Great if it works for you. Myself, K****n is a word I hope to never hear again after retirement, along with six-sigma, 5-s, gemba, and the other "continuous production improvement" buzzwords that actually mean "common sense rammed down your throat".

 

[2B]

Great if it works for you. Myself, K****n is a word I hope to never hear again after retirement, along with six-sigma, 5-s, gemba, and the other "continuous production improvement" buzzwords that actually mean "common sense rammed down your throat".

+1 BOHICA anyone?

But the OP has a point. We should want to actually improve our retirenment.

I have one more "in-office" day before I leave for two weeks of vacation with my resignation / retirement to happen 5 Jan 2015.

I had thought my project was about to collapse. To avoid overhead I was going to volunteer to take some extra vacation time which would have let me move more money into my 2015 401k and then resign when the vacation time ran out. No luck with that option. My project is still going strong. My final departure date will be whenever my transition can be completed (2-3 weeks?)

 

[Options]

Yes! In the past few years, I've looked at just about every area of my life and made it more productive, and have really enjoyed it. In fact, I applied Kaizen to my entire gym workout by (1) cut down time to get ready from one hour to 45 minutes, thereby adding a total of 45 minutes weekly to my life; (2) read a new book on working out and have much much better results, while cutting total workout time from one and one-half hours to 45 minutes. This added almost 3 hours to my life where I could get much better results in less time. Have done the same with many other areas, and have consequently increased satisfaction a lot.

 

[dtbach]

Great if it works for you. Myself, K****n is a word I hope to never hear again after retirement, along with six-sigma, 5-s, gemba, and the other "continuous production improvement" buzzwords that actually mean "common sense rammed down your throat".

+billion!!!!!!!!

God I hated all that crap. Along with "who moved my cheese" and all the other "motivational" junk that only annoyed people and wasted valuable time.

 

[CoolChange]

Yes! In the past few years, I've looked at just about every area of my life and made it more productive, and have really enjoyed it. In fact, I applied Kaizen to my entire gym workout by (1) cut down time to get ready from one hour to 45 minutes, thereby adding a total of 45 minutes weekly to my life; (2) read a new book on working out and have much much better results, while cutting total workout time from one and one-half hours to 45 minutes. This added almost 3 hours to my life where I could get much better results in less time. Have done the same with many other areas, and have consequently increased satisfaction a lot.

I hope to continue on this road myself. It doesn't sound like I nearly as far down that road as you; but, I just try to be a bit better in some area next month than I was last month without letting anything get worse.

Great if it works for you. Myself, K****n is a word I hope to never hear again after retirement, along with six-sigma, 5-s, gemba, and the other "continuous production improvement" buzzwords that actually mean "common sense rammed down your throat".

I definitely understand this attitude; but, it is not the concepts that I find so offensive but the implementation, project insanity, etc. Sadly, I have found that common sense really is not all that common.

 

[growing_older]

I am not opposed to the idea of making improvements in my life, even after retirement. What I have found is that people who ardently advocate kaizen or other similar change philosophies are looking for change ALL THE TIME and are never content to let something that works well continue to work well. I get that some people thrive on this, but some personalities (such as mine) actually do enjoy some stability and predictability. I'm not opposed to all change, but neither am I welcoming of an approach that opposes all stability. One of the things I am most looking forward to in ER is that I can embrace changes that I want, on the schedule that I want to change them. It doesn't have to meet an external schedule, or even be continuous if I don't want to.

 

[fidler4]

[/QUOTE]

God I hated all that crap. Along with "who moved my cheese" and all the other "motivational" junk that only annoyed people and wasted valuable time.[/QUOTE]


+ 1


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[AnIntentionalRoad]

Not using kiazen but I am constantly looking at ways to improve my life. I would even say that is one of my habitual traits--just can't help myselk.



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[ls99]

Since retiring I am only interested in is improving my health, figure skating skills, and napping prowess. And preventing brain rot.

 

[mpeirce]

Since retiring I am only interested in is improving my ... napping prowess.

+1

 

[2B]

Since retiring I am only interested in is improving my health, figure skating skills, and napping prowess. And preventing brain rot.

You could do SQC charts on these. Start doing root cause analyses on things outside the control limits.

 

[GreenER]

We are doing a lot of decluttering in preparation for downsizing in a couple of years. I am finding it liberating to let go of stuff and to analyze what things in my life bring me joy and trying to jettison the rest of it.

 

[ls99]

You could do SQC charts on these. Start doing root cause analyses on things outside the control limits.

Aaaaany day now! That all sounds like a nasty four letter word: W O R K

 

[2B]

Aaaaany day now! That all sounds like a nasty four letter word: W O R K

In my earlier days I was a big advocate of SQC and root cause analyses. There were a lot of positives that came out of it but I have no interest in doing it in my real life.

 

[Amethyst]

Form teams and do SWOT analyses. Decide on your vision. Then formulate measurable goals, objectives, and sub-objectives so you can track progressvia weekly, monthly, and quarterly Powerpoint presentations to yourself!

Amethyst

You could do SQC charts on these. Start doing root cause analyses on things outside the control limits.

 

[CRLLS]

God I hated all that crap. Along with "who moved my cheese" and all the other "DEmotivational" junk that only annoyed people and wasted valuable time

There. I fixed that for you. 'nuf said!

 

[Free To Canoe]

I enjoy my Toyota and I appreciate the Kaizen philosophy that makes it better than the others.
Since I have been involved in manufacturing during my career, I too loath that motivational crap.

 

[Options]

...

I'm not opposed to all change, but neither am I welcoming of an approach that opposes all stability. One of the things I am most looking forward to in ER is that I can embrace changes that I want, on the schedule that I want to change them. It doesn't have to meet an external schedule, or even be continuous if I don't want to.

Well that's the problem. With the rate of change accelerating rapidly, the one thing we can count on is not having the luxury of embracing changes on a schedule we'd like. Life dictates the external schedule, continuous or otherwise. There can live with change in only one of two ways: controlled or uncontrolled. Change can be controlled through goals. Uncontrolled change is not very much fun to live with.

You could do SQC charts on these. Start doing root cause analyses on things outside the control limits.

Fishbone analysis, maybe? You could always reorganize, restructure, reengineer, rethink, refocus, regain control, or reinvent. Throw in a little TQM and problem's solved.

I'll expect a status memo by Friday COB (close of business).

 

[Walt34]

Form teams and do SWOT analyses. Decide on your vision. Then formulate measurable goals, objectives, and sub-objectives so you can track progressvia weekly, monthly, and quarterly Powerpoint presentations to yourself!

Amethyst

You forgot the mission statement.

 

[nuke_diver]

Great now this forum is starting to sound like work.....

BTW you forgot about the low hanging fruit

 

[2B]

Fishbone analysis, maybe? You could always reorganize, restructure, reengineer, rethink, refocus, regain control, or reinvent. Throw in a little TQM and problem's solved.

I'll expect a status memo by Friday COB (close of business).

Too late. I won't be in the office tomorrow. The next day I'll be in the office is 5 Jan. I plan to resign around 8 am. Retirement begins after whatever transition period we work out.

 

[Accidental Retiree]

Form teams and do SWOT analyses. Decide on your vision. Then formulate measurable goals, objectives, and sub-objectives so you can track progressvia weekly, monthly, and quarterly Powerpoint presentations to yourself!

Amethyst

Pee-yew!

 

[Options]

Too late. I won't be in the office tomorrow. The next day I'll be in the office is 5 Jan. I plan to resign around 8 am. Retirement begins after whatever transition period we work out.

Don't forget to process map the transition. And be sure to look for synergies and leverage as you work with your stakeholders.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I can't believe I opened and read this entire thread. Noooooooo!

http://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=GyV_UG60dD4

Sent from my mobile device so please excuse grammatical errors.