The 5-Minute Waste Check

Choose one task that repeats.

Do not select “sales,” “operations,” or “customer service.” Select one specific recurring workflow such as answering a new inquiry, preparing a quote, scheduling a job, ordering supplies, completing a repair, or sending an invoice.

Minute 1: Write the real steps.

List what people actually do—not what the policy says should happen. Include text messages, handwritten notes, owner approvals, duplicate entries, phone calls, and personal reminders.

Minute 2: Mark every wait.

Put a “W” beside every point where work sits because someone is unavailable, information is missing, approval is required, or the next owner is unclear.

Minute 3: Mark every repeat or correction.

Put an “R” beside information entered more than once, work returned for correction, calls repeated because no update was provided, and steps performed again because the result was not visible.

Minute 4: Mark every owner dependency.

Put an “O” beside every step that must return to the owner—not because the decision is consequential, but because the process, authority, information, or standard is missing.

Minute 5: Choose one control.

Do not solve all marked problems at once. Choose the point creating the most repeated delay or interruption and test one control.

Measure the test for one week.

Track one simple result: fewer interruptions, faster response, fewer corrections, fewer open items, faster invoicing, or clearer status. A change is only useful when it improves the work rather than merely adding another step.