How can you use Kanban to balance workload and reduce stress?

1 What is Kanban?

Kanban is a Japanese word that means "signboard" or "card". It is a system of using cards or other visual indicators to represent the stages and status of work items. Kanban boards are often divided into columns that represent the steps of the workflow, such as "to do", "in progress", and "done". Each card represents a single work item that moves from left to right as it progresses through the workflow. Kanban boards can be physical or digital, depending on your preference and needs.

2 How can Kanban balance your workload?

One of the key principles of Kanban is to limit the amount of work in progress (WIP) at each stage of the workflow. This means that you only start a new work item when there is an available slot in the next column. This prevents you from taking on too much work at once, which can lead to bottlenecks, delays, and stress. By limiting your WIP, you can focus on the most important and urgent tasks, and complete them faster and with higher quality.

3 How can Kanban reduce your stress?

Another benefit of Kanban is that it reduces your stress by making your work more transparent and manageable. By using visual cues, you can easily see what you need to do, what you are doing, and what you have done. This gives you a sense of control and achievement, and helps you prioritize and plan your work. Kanban also reduces your stress by enabling you to communicate and collaborate more effectively with your team members and stakeholders. You can share your progress, feedback, and issues on the Kanban board, and avoid unnecessary meetings and emails.

4 How to start using Kanban?

If you want to start using Kanban to balance your workload and reduce your stress, you can follow these simple steps. First, define your workflow by identifying the steps and stages needed to complete the work, and create the corresponding columns on your Kanban board. You can customize the workflow according to your needs and preferences. Then, create your cards by writing down each work item that needs to be done and adding relevant information such as due date, priority, or assignee. Place the cards in the first column of your Kanban board. Afterwards, set WIP limits by deciding how many cards can be in each column at any given time, and mark the limit on your Kanban board. You can use a simple rule or adjust the limit based on capacity and demand. When ready, start working by picking a card from the first column and moving it to the next column when you begin. Repeat this process until you finish the work item and move it to the last column. Make sure to respect WIP limits and only start a new card when there is an open slot in the next column. Finally, monitor and improve by reviewing your Kanban board regularly for any issues or opportunities for improvement. You can use metrics such as cycle time, lead time, or throughput to measure performance and efficiency. Additionally, feedback, retrospectives, or experiments can be used to identify and implement changes to your workflow, WIP limits, or cards.