The Dishwasher Effect: How we waste time to “save” time

Have you heard of the dishwasher effect? I learned about it a few months ago, while listening to Optimal Living Daily (if you love self-improvement and podcasts, this is a must-subscribe). I then went on to read the post, because I wanted to really let it soak in. I have been thinking about it ever since and decided I’d write a post. You know, to hold myself accountable!

What Is The Dishwasher Effect?

The dishwasher effect is an analogy for how we waste time in the long run, by saving it in the short run.

Imagine that you have one or two dishes leftover from lunch. You go to put them in the dishwasher, but discover that it is full of clean dishes. You are in a bit of a hurry, so you just wash those two dishes, without unloading the dishes. You’ve saved yourself a few minutes, right?

Well, of course you didn’t. Because the amount of time it takes to put a few dishes in the dishwasher is less than the amount of time it takes to hand wash them. So, to save a few minutes in the short run, you’ve wasted time in the long run. And, obviously, at some point, you are going to have to unload the dishwasher anyway. Maybe not right this minute, but at some point.

I literally do this exact thing regularly.

And, once I thought about it (why has it taken me decades to think of this? Another topic to explore on another day, I suppose), I realized that I was wasting time in many areas of my life. How many times a day do I “wash just one dish” in work, in my personal life, at home, with my kids?

I began to think about the times that I haven’t created a template for a common email response, the times that I don’t pack a few snacks for the kids and end up having to stop at a store (or worse, a drive-through!). What about the times that I read an email and do nothing about it, just to have to read it again (and likely again), before responding, filing, or deleting?

I began to think about the times that I struggled with figuring out what to wear, but haven’t created a capsule wardrobe. About the times that I put something somewhere it doesn’t belong only to have to look for it later (how many hours have I wasted looking for my keys? My phone? That one piece of paper?) What about when I stop working on a project, only to have to backtrack later?

Of the hundreds of decisions I make each day, how many are “washing one dish,” when I could “unload the dishwasher?”

Starting Small

Now that I’ve realized this is a problem, I have started to take stock. There are a few things that I am really bad at. The things listed above are biggies. I think one of my worst habits is mindlessly checking emails (or mindlessly doing anything, really).

So, I am going to be more mindful about my decisions. And work towards small improvements (1% per day is my progress goal). Today, I am not going to check my email until I am in a position to actually do something about it, including deleting the ones that I don’t want to look at again, replying to the ones that I need to reply to, and scheduling reminders for future tasks. I am going to unsubscribe from emails that aren’t valuable, instead of looking at them, thinking about how I don’t read them, and ignoring – only to do the same thing next week. I am going to make sure that the dishwasher effect is not plaguing my inbox. Ugh!

I am going to avoid the dishwasher effect when I am getting dressed. In a few weeks, I will work on my first capsule wardrobe (waiting till the kiddo goes back to school on this one so I can concentrate).

And, avoid it during my days off with my kids. This might be the most important area to focus on. I want to savor my time with them, not waste it doing meaningless tasks and errands. Today, I packed us a snack for after our hike (no grocery store pit stop for this little group!).

I am going to work on being mindful of my decisions. I will make note of things I do over and over again that could be streamlined. I will make a template for anything I anticipate doing more than a few times. And, I will set aside a few extra minutes to do things the right way, rather than the quick way, if I realize it will save time in the end.

I am not making any big promises to myself, just trying to notice when I choose the “quick” solution. And then working towards making the better one.

Creating Templates and Shortcuts

One of the big time wasters in my life is sending out the same emails, text messages, and proposals over and over. Have I created templates? Nope. Not for most of them.

Have I created shortcuts for things I text regularly? Not really. I have a signature and when I type “email” my email address appears, but there are many other things that I type regularly that I don’t have a shortcut for (my phone number, a few key phrases).

There are workflows that I use regularly, email sequences and documents that I send out at certain times, over and over again. None of this is automated. Yet. Every single time I send a similar email out, I am “washing one dish.”

These are likely some of my biggest time wasters!

To start small (really small), I am noticing when I do repetitive, but unnecessary tasks. I set up a note in my phone with a list of things that I likely need templates or shortcuts for. I already have four things listed, and once I get to ten, I am going to set aside as much time as it takes and set up these shortcuts and templates.

I am working on shifting my mindset. I have started telling myself, “do it right, the first time.” As in, put the thing back in the right place now so I don’t have to search for it later, fold the laundry when it’s fresh so I don’t have to get the wrinkles out later, and finish up the email so I don’t have to reread it and then start again. This one is the hardest with littles running around. Sometimes interruptions just happen, but doing my best to not be my own interruption is a step.

Are You Washing One Dish?

How about you? Do you write the same email to your clients? Answer the same questions over and over (this could probably be a FAQ on a blog or in your info section, if you have one)?

Why not? No? Have you done the thing more than twice? Will you do it again? Could you make a template out of this?

What can you do now (that might take a little longer) that will save you time in the end?

Me? Well, I am off to unload that dishwasher! Literally.