⚡Productivity
What's the opposite of optimized?
I know I personally think of words like:
- Inefficient
- Incorrect
- Inconsistent
- …and the no-brainer: un-optimized (duh)
It’s all the rage to talk about optimization strategies - I’m guilty of it myself!
I nerd out about ways to dial it in, tactics to ensure I’m getting the most out of the time I’m spending, and hitting the target every single time.
But what broke my brain was when I learned that an opposite of optimized is: adaptable.
The person who has a perfectly optimized morning routine, with their sunlight-mimicking alarm clock, supplement stack and fasted cardio is not adaptable.
Every single step has to be perfectly in sync to execute the optimal routine. Throw a wrench into their routine and it’s going to be a “failure” of a morning.
Now, think about working a station in a restaurant.
When the setup on the station is perfectly optimized, the only thing that can throw off that station is anything out-of-the-ordinary.
Compare that with an adaptable station. It is, by nature, un-optimized.
Certain tools might be on the station that don’t get used for the whole service.
The stack of trays might have a few extras, just in case.
The cutting board might be a little bigger than what’s needed.
But it can, ideally, roll with the punches, regardless of what’s thrown at it.
The reason I can’t stop thinking about this is that I’ve been guilty of giving one of my programs the tagline: “Adaptive Kitchen Productivity”.
What I’ve changed my mind on is that they’re both skills you can build and improve on. You can get good at optimizing, and you can get good at adapting.
From there, it’s a context-specific judgment call to determine which skill to leverage, depending on the situation.
If you know exactly how many guests are coming in, what’s on your menu, and what dietary restrictions to plan for: it’s time to optimize.
If Chef just decided to change the menu last-minute and you aren’t quite sure how the first 45 minutes of service are gonna go tonight: it’s time to adapt
s/o to Andy Galpin for this insight
