Previous Process
Sometimes a process seems like a great idea because it automates a more difficult way. Efficiency is valued. Before autos were plentiful, there were warnings about the mountains of horse waste that would be created when the number of horses required for travel matched the growing number of people using them. The horse poop was predicted to be like mountains in cities. There was not a lot of thought being placed on how exactly to deal with this smelly product. But then along came automobiles and fewer horses were on the road. As you may have guessed, the autos had their own smell and by-product that would cause problems with increased use. Eventually, it became apparent that something needed to be done and manufacturers were forced to decrease environmental impact. The search was on for the next replacement.
A New Process
Manufacturers have faced this dilemma many times. Machinery and the human power that maintains it have danced for a century around becoming more efficient. Modernization has solved issues with safety and the use of labor. Many items rely more on human intelligence than human interaction. As the process changed, there were new outcomes. It is, was and will continue to be the process that constantly requires new thought. The outcome is dependent on it. How we set up our lives for efficiency is akin to a process. Many of our habits are just rubber-stamped repetitions from childhood. There is a reluctance to change something that appears to be working. But no change often results in no improved outcome.
Process Improvement
Old ways can be cherished for their semi-romanticized depiction of life. Riding in an automobile from the 1900s feels like a step back in time and increases the appreciation of the invention process. But it wouldn’t be the choice for many today. Having the ability to upgrade to what is new can be exciting. When habits get refurbished, the thought attached to the process changes the outcome. It is vital when integrating new exercise routines to make them just different enough to require new thought. It is helpful for students who start new grade levels to examine ways to adjust to increased learning needs so that time is spent wisely. Relying on past methods will just provide old outcomes.
Outcome of Choice
Life provides counter-intuitive help. Look at the desired outcome. Working back from where you want to land is like making sure that you check the final destination as well as the route on a long trip. Blindly producing methods without checking their effect is like horse poop. Building a process from end to start can result in increased satisfaction, environmental knowledge and the security that safety was included. Choosing this type of process throughout life can gradually increase the same aspects. Humans are made to design the future. It is a gift that other creatures do not have. Knowing that any personal process can be yours provides freedom. Being freer is a worthy outcome.
What routine would you change right now to make it more efficient? Is it necessary to follow every old rule of past business to get to a new solution? How free do you feel?
