Slash Complexity to Simplify and Speed Up Work

Complexity is the silent time-thief in almost every system. Take your weekly newsletter creation: it shuttles from writer to editor, to legal review, back to revisions, then to design, then to final review. Each stop adds delay and confusion. The Law of Complexity tells us that complexity rises with the square of steps—five steps becomes 25 points of friction, and ten steps becomes 100.
By simply mapping out your process and counting steps, you gain an eye-opening view of hidden overhead. Imagine consolidating four review stages into one combined review session. Suddenly, you’re slashing complexity from, say, 16 points to just 9, cutting errors and delays by up to 50%. A nonprofit that reorganized grant approvals from eight hands to two saw funding decisions jump from six weeks to six days, all without hiring more staff.
Understanding how each additional handoff multiplies delay is crucial. When you simplify processes by eliminating, combining, or reassigning steps, you trade confusion for clarity and slow-downs for speed. You unlock time to focus on high-value work instead of firefighting.
Streamlining isn’t just corporate theory; it’s a practical lever you can apply today to free hours a week—no budget increase required.

Start by sketching out one routine you handle every week, tally each step, then ask yourself: Which steps can I remove or merge? When you cut complexity, you speed everything else up at once. Try it on your next report approval.