📖 Work Clean by Dan Charnas: Mise-en-Place for Knowledge Workers
In the world of emails, project management tools, instant messaging… and all things, it’s fascinating that we aren’t trained to use these tools to their maximum benefit.
It is pretty straightforward for most; however, how many times have you been sent a message that says, “Let’s meet to discuss,” with no explicit times suggested?
This is just one of many examples we, as knowledge workers, experience. Work Clean by Dan Charnas explains how to operate for better communication, maximized efficiency and organization through the application of Mise-en-Place.
Mise-en-Place is a system that chefs have been trained with. They will often hone this skill in the kitchen and extend it to all areas of their life. After learning these principles, I am applying them as a knowledge worker. For me, it is an art that, when used, helps us practice being more in the present moment by eliminating clutter and honing our focus.
Here are the ten principles that I’d appreciate everyone I work with consider applying.
The 10 Principles of Mise-en-Place for Knowledge Workers
Planning is Prime
👩🍳 The Chef’s Way: Which item needs to be put on the stove first? You can’t start the potatoes and the steak simultaneously if you want them to be cooked perfectly and served together.
👩💼 How to Map Your Daily Operations Before You Start
When planning your workday or a project, consider what needs to be done first, before anything else, to ensure the project is completed on time. If your project requires input from busy executives, initiate those requests first. Front-loading these 'high-latency' tasks prevents the back-and-forth from becoming a bottleneck later.
Arranging Spaces
👩🍳 The Chef’s Way: A chef’s workstation is organized to minimize actions to maximize efficiency and protect the body
👩💼 How to Optimize Your Digital Desktop for High-Speed Access
High-access items like your notepad and pen belong on your dominant hand. Less frequently used items, like your stapler, can be out of arm’s reach. Your computer desktop can also be organized and neat- consider using tools like Magnet to manage your desktop windows, or keep your bookmarks and tabs organized with a tool like Toby.
Cleaning as You Go
👩🍳 The Chef’s Way: When the onions are peeled, the scraps are put away so that you don’t risk accidentally getting onion skin in a dish.
👩💼 How to Maintain a Zero-Inbox Mindset Throughout the Day
When you are done working on a project, close all the tabs and programs on your computer that you were using.
Making First Moves
👩🍳 The Chef’s Way: The pan is hot and ready for the steak before the first order even comes in. These first minutes cost more than the later ones.
👩💼 How to Front-Load Projects to Build Instant Momentum
The first minutes of your day or a project can save many minutes; later, seize the first few moments. Starting specific tasks can create a chain of momentum for a project - a kick-off meeting or a survey sent out asking for feedback that will set the course of your project.
Finishing Actions
👩🍳 The Chef’s Way: Chefs deliver- the plate has to be complete; they won’t send an order out with the fries missing from a plate.
👩💼 How to Close the Loop on Open Tasks and Prevent Brain Drain
Don’t start what you can’t finish; don’t create orphaned tasks. You’re better off not opening too many projects at a time; you’re better off bringing projects to completion. Finishing clears the mind and the plate; it helps you feel mentally energized when you complete something.
Slowing Down to Speed Up
👩🍳 The Chef’s Way: Speed can mean missing things, practice presence. Forgetting the salt in the water before the pasta would be awful. “Chefs don’t run because they are always in the right place at the right time.”
👩💼How to Use Deliberate Pace to Eradicate Workday Errors
In the face of a deadline, don’t panic, or you’re likely to make mistakes. Slow down, breathe and think about the next step and let that step take you into the next one.
Open Eyes and Ears
👩🍳 The Chef’s Way: When you leave the kitchen, you clear your head and come back with fresh eyes. Chefs have both external and internal awareness; they hear the pan sizzling, see the water when it’s about to boil, and hear the orders as they are called. The awareness that they bring helps them know what’s happening around them and what needs to happen next.
👩💼 How to Calibrate Your Notifications for High Situational Awareness
Notifications are happening everywhere. What notifications do you need, and which can be muted? Which people or things need a special alert to create a sense of urgency in you to respond to them? How can you balance deep work with responding to Slack channels and emails?
Call and Callback
👩🍳 The Chef’s Way: A chef will call out an order to the cook, and the cook responds to acknowledge what they’ve heard.
👩💼 How to Implement Communication Loops That Kill Misunderstandings
Someone sends you a message asking you to do something. You can call back and say, "Yes, I will do it tomorrow and let you know when it’s done." Close the loop on things; it helps others know you have heard them correctly.
Inspect and Correct
👩🍳 The Chef’s Way: Before a dish goes out to the table, the chef inspects it and tells the cook how to correct it. There’s meticulous execution and a constant feedback loop.
👩💼 How to Audit Your Systems Using Real-Time Feedback
Look at feedback as part of the project, ask for it and value appreciation and feedback.
Total Utilization
👩🍳 The Chef’s Way: In the kitchen, everything possible is used- meat and veggie scraps get used for a broth. Only purchase the produce you need. You want your produce to be fresh, and you don’t want food to go to waste. Chefs don’t waste- they don’t waste time, money or movement.
👩💼 Team's Resource Capacity
Utilize people and resources to their maximum. Plan your organization this way - don’t hire a project manager if you don’t have a project for them to work on. Don’t purchase another subscription tool unless it will be used by your team.
A Kitchen Tour that Redefined Connectivity
I’ve had the privilege of touring various kitchens with my friend, an accomplished chef. One that’s particularly memorable was touring Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York. During our visit, we witnessed the bustling activity of The French Laundry kitchen in California through a large-screen TV. The seamless connection between the two kitchens, facilitated by cameras and screens at both ends, was amazing. As we waved to the kitchen staff, I couldn’t help but appreciate how such a simple video setup bridged the gap between two teams across different locations and time zones. This experience underscored the importance of connectivity and collaboration in culinary environments. My exposure to the kitchen and Dan Charnes’ “Work Clean,” has taught me valuable lessons that translate to teams of knowledge workers through the application of Mise-en-Place.
Curious how this book shows up in my work or thinking? You might enjoy:
🐌 Learn how to “slow down to speed up” in Cal Newport’s Slow Productivity.
🎢 Have a deeper look at why our modern tools often fight against our focus, and how to build sustainable productivity in the workplace.
📖 If you are curious and want to read this book, find it here on the author’s website or borrow it from your local library.
