10 Lean Activities to Save You an Hour a Day

10 Lean Ways I Save an Hour a Day, Without Cutting Corners

One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learnt in two decades of living Lean, both professionally and personally, is that time is one of the greatest wastes when not managed with intent. I don’t just mean those obvious big time-drains. I mean the sneaky little losses: repeated decisions, double-handling, distraction loops, and that persistent sense of “there’s never enough time”.

In Lean, we call these losses “wastes”, and whether we’re talking about a factory floor or your kitchen counter, they add up. That’s why I’ve developed a personal set of time-saving habits that borrow straight from my Lean toolkit. Here are ten I use regularly, each one drawn from the philosophy of value, flow, and continuous improvement.

1. I Plan My Day Using Hoshin Kanri (saves 1–2 hours daily)

Rather than jumping into to-do lists, I start my mornings (or evenings before) aligning my day with what truly matters. That’s where Hoshin Kanri comes in, traditionally a strategic planning tool, but I use it to ensure that my micro-actions align with my macro-goals.

Lean angle: It's all about strategy deployment, translating vision into daily operations. Spend 10-15 minutes planning your day using Hoshin Kanri, a strategic planning method that aligns your daily activities with your long-term goals. This helps you stay focused on value-adding activities and ensures that every task contributes to your overarching objectives.

My tip: I use a visual Kanban board (on paper or an app) to keep sight of what’s essential, not just urgent.

2. I Batch My Life Into “Work Cells” (saves 30–60 minutes daily)

Just like work cells in a factory optimise flow, I structure my day in thematic blocks. It’s not multitasking, it’s mono-tasking with purpose. For instance, I reply to emails and messages only at certain windows, and group errands geographically and logically.

Lean angle: Minimises the TIMPWOOD wastes especially Motion and Waiting associated with context switching. Group similar tasks together into 'work cells' to reduce the time spent switching between tasks. Combine all your email responses and phone calls into designated times of the day.

My tip: Apply this to housework too, group laundry with ironing, or cleaning by room zones.

3. I Use a Kaizen Approach to Cut Screen Time (saves 1–2 hours daily)

I used to fall into rabbit holes of Instagram and YouTube “just for a minute.” So I started treating it like a process problem. I used Kaizen, tiny, continuous tweaks, to reclaim that time. Now I use screen timers, block apps after certain hours, and reflect weekly.

Lean angle: It's classic continuous improvement, but for your attention span. Implement small, continuous improvements by gradually reducing social media usage. Use a time-tracking app to monitor and gradually reduce screen time This creates more time for productive activities and reduces distractions.
My tip: Add a “distraction audit” to your week and treat it like any other Lean problem to solve.

4. I Pair the Pomodoro Technique with PDSA Thinking (saves 1–2 hours daily)

I love Pomodoro because it mirrors Lean’s rhythm of focus and review. But I take it further by applying PDSA cycles (Plan-Do-Study-Adjust) to it. After a few focused sprints, I pause and review not just what I did but how I worked.

Lean angle: Blends Standard Work with Kaizen for continuous flow. Break your work into short intervals (25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break) and review the process regularly. After each Pomodoro session, review what worked well and what didn't, then adjust your approach accordingly. This enhances focus and productivity through structured work periods and continuous improvement cycles.
My tip: Build your own rhythm, mine is 30/5 Pomodoros with a 15-min review midday.

5. I Meal Prep Like a Lean Inventory Manager (saves 1–2 hours weekly)

Cooking is one of my favourite things, but thinking about what to cook isn’t. So, I plan meals weekly, prep what I can in advance, and shop to avoid overbuying (or worse, waste). This saves both time and headspace.

Lean angle: It’s a homegrown Just-in-Time system, with built-in pull rather than push. Prepare meals for the week in advance, applying Lean inventory management principles to ensure you only buy and prepare what you need. This reduces waste and saves time spent on daily cooking and cleaning. Plan a week's worth of meals, create a shopping list, and batch-cook to avoid daily meal preparation.
My tip: Treat your fridge like a Kanban shelf, if something runs low, it triggers the next shop.

6. I Use Jidoka to Automate My Admin (saves 30–60 mins monthly)

Admin used to be my nemesis. Then I applied Jidoka, Lean’s idea of automation with a human touch. I now automate all regular bill payments, calendar reminders, and even email filters, but still keep oversight with smart alerts.

Lean angle: Jidoka means automating where appropriate, without losing control. This ensures accuracy and frees up time spent on manual bill payments. Use online banking features to automate payments and receive alerts for any issues.
My tip: Do a monthly audit of admin tasks and ask: “Could a tool or tech handle this for me?”

7. I Keep My Space Flowing with 5S (saves 15–30 mins daily)

I live by 5S. I don’t just “tidy up”, I Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardise, and Sustain. Whether it’s my desk, wardrobe, or kitchen drawers, everything has a place. It’s amazing how much time you save not looking for stuff.

Lean angle: Visual management starts at home. Apply the 5S methodology (Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardise, Sustain) to your living and working spaces. This reduces the time spent searching for items and maintains an organised environment. Regularly declutter your workspace, ensuring everything has a designated place.
My tip: Use photos of ideal drawer setups or shelf layouts to maintain the ‘standard’.

8. I Create Standard Work for Tech Tasks (saves 10–20 mins daily)

The time I used to waste clicking through the same sequences or Googling how-tos? Gone. I’ve documented my own shortcuts, streamlined routines, and even saved templates for regular responses or tasks.

Lean angle: This is textbook Standard Work, the best-known way to do something. Familiarise yourself with common keyboard shortcuts and create a standardised way of performing frequent computer tasks. This increases efficiency and reduces the time spent on repetitive tasks. Create a reference sheet of keyboard shortcuts for quick access.
My tip: Create your own “User Manual” for your computer life, then improve it monthly.

9. I Love Templates, Checklists and SOPs (saves 30–60 mins weekly)

Whether it's packing lists, content planning checklists, or morning routines, I template everything. I even have one for my husband when we travel (he pretends to roll his eyes, but he secretly appreciates it).

Lean angle: SOPs don’t kill creativity; they remove noise so you can focus on what matters. Create templates for repetitive tasks and checklists for complex tasks, based on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This ensures consistency and saves time by having predefined steps to follow. Develop a checklist for your morning routine to streamline your start to the day.
My tip: Turn any routine into a reusable system. I store mine in Notion and print hard copies for key ones.

10. I Outsource Using a Lean Supply Chain Mindset (saves variable time)

I’m fiercely independent by nature, but I’ve learnt the power of strategic delegation. Whether it’s a cleaning service, a VA, or shared tasks in my household, I treat it like optimising a supply chain, every part needs to work in flow.

Lean angle: This is Lean Supply Chain thinking, collaboration to deliver value efficiently. Identify tasks that can be delegated to family members, colleagues, or outsourced to professionals, similar to a Lean supply chain strategy. This allows you to focus on high-value activities by leveraging external resources for non-core tasks. Hire a virtual assistant for administrative tasks or use a cleaning service for household chores.
My tip: Don't just delegate the task, share the why. People step up when they see the bigger picture.

Lean isn’t about cutting corners

Lean isn’t about cutting corners, it’s about clearing the clutter to make room for what truly matters. I’ve woven these techniques into the way I live, not just how I work. My invitation to you: try one or two of these this week. Treat them like experiments. Because just like Lean itself, it’s not about perfection, it’s about progress.

Let me know which ones you try, or better yet, which ones you already do without knowing they were Lean!