Minimizing Work in Progress for Faster Delivery

Common intuition says that working on more things simultaneously means more gets done. The opposite is true. Limiting work in progress (WIP) is one of the most powerful productivity interventions for both individuals and teams.

The Cost of Context Switching

Every task you are working on occupies mental space. Research suggests that each additional task reduces effectiveness on all tasks. Three simultaneous projects might mean each gets only 20% of your effective attention due to switching overhead. Focusing on one means it gets 100%.

Little's Law

Little's Law states that lead time equals WIP divided by throughput. If your throughput is constant, reducing WIP directly reduces lead time. This is not optimization theory—it is mathematics. Fewer things in progress means faster completion of each thing.

Personal WIP Limits

Set explicit limits on how many things you work on simultaneously. Perhaps one major project, one minor task, and one learning initiative. When something new comes in, something else must complete or be explicitly paused. This forces prioritization.

Team WIP Limits

Kanban boards with WIP limits make overload visible. When a column hits its limit, work cannot proceed until something moves out. This creates healthy pressure to complete work rather than starting new things. Blocked work becomes immediately visible.

Finishing Over Starting

Cultivate a bias toward finishing over starting. An almost-done feature in progress has delivered zero value; a shipped feature, even if smaller, delivers immediate value. Resist the temptation of new, exciting work when current work is nearly complete.