6 minute read
- Multitasking and having more work in progress reduces individual and team productivity due to cognitive load and context switching. see why — jump to the section that argues this
- Scrum’s single Product Owner and Lean’s work‑in‑progress limits help teams avoid multitasking chaos and focus on finishing high‑value work. see why — jump to the section that argues this
- Prioritizing work by business value rather than item age enables faster delivery of high‑impact features and more predictable outcomes. see why — jump to the section that argues this
- Limit work in progress so the team focuses on finishing a small number of high‑value items instead of starting many tasks in parallel.
- Prioritize your backlog by business value, picking tasks that deliver the highest value to the business and completing them before starting new ones.
- Regularly review your team’s Cumulative Flow Diagram to keep the gap between work started and work finished narrow and maintain shorter cycle times.
In today’s fast-paced business environment, there’s often a misconception that the more tasks we juggle, the more productive we are. However, as many successful teams have realized, this couldn’t be further from the truth. A popular quote from Lean methodology sums it up perfectly: “Stop starting and start finishing.” This philosophy emphasizes the importance of focusing on completing work, rather than constantly starting new tasks.
In this blog post, we’ll explore why this mindset is critical for Scrum teams and how implementing it can significantly improve efficiency, productivity, and overall business value.
The Cost of Multitasking: A Cognitive Drain
More Work ≠ More Productivity
A common fallacy is that the more work we have in progress, the more productive we are. This mindset is particularly prevalent in teams where members are often juggling multiple tasks at once. However, this approach leads to reduced efficiency and an increase in context switching, the mental effort required to shift from one task to another.
As explained by Gerald Weinberg in his book Systems Thinking, each additional task or project underway causes about a 20% loss in productivity. For example:
Two tasks = 20% productivity loss
Three tasks = 40% productivity loss
This loss occurs because our brains waste cognitive energy switching between tasks rather than focusing on solving core problems.
Key takeaway: The more tasks you’re juggling, the less effective you become at completing any of them.
The Impact of Context Switching
When you’re juggling too many tasks, your brain is constantly context switching. Instead of focusing on the problem at hand, one that could add significant value to the business, your mind is preoccupied with managing multiple priorities.
For instance, how often have you found yourself in the shower thinking, “How do I balance these three projects and keep all stakeholders happy?” When you’re stuck in this loop, you’re not solving problems that directly benefit your business. Instead, you’re merely trying to keep multiple balls in the air, and that’s not where the real value lies.
👉 Pro Tip: Focus on finishing a single project to completion before jumping to the next one. Your business cares about outcomes, not how many tasks you’re managing at once!
The Role of Leadership in Pushing Multiple Priorities
While it may seem like leadership is always pushing for more work to be completed simultaneously, it’s often middle management that applies this pressure. Middle managers, who are accountable for team performance, sometimes mistakenly believe that more tasks underway means more progress is being made.
However, this approach often results in:
Burnout among team members
Inefficiency due to context switching
Slower delivery times as tasks pile up without being completed
In Scrum, one of the core principles is to have a single Product Owner who prioritizes the backlog and funnels the work. This singular focus ensures that teams aren’t overwhelmed by conflicting demands from various stakeholders.
Scrum and Lean: Aligning for Maximum Efficiency
The Single Product Owner
In Scrum, the Product Owner acts as a funnel to manage competing priorities and ensure the team focuses on delivering value. This role is critical for avoiding the chaos of multitasking and allowing the team to focus on one project or task at a time.
While Lean doesn’t necessarily assign this role to an individual, it does advocate for a definition of workflow that limits work in progress (WIP). By clearly defining how much work a team can handle at any given time, Lean practices also help teams focus on finishing tasks rather than constantly starting new ones.
Limiting Work in Progress (WIP)
Both Scrum and Lean methodologies emphasize the importance of limiting WIP. When teams attempt to do too many things at once, they inadvertently extend their cycle time, the total time it takes from starting a task to finishing it.
One way to visualize this is through a Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD), which shows the difference between the amount of work started and the amount of work finished. When the gap between these two lines grows, it’s a clear indicator that too much work is being started and not enough is being completed.
👉 Pro Tip: Regularly review your team’s CFD to ensure that the gap between work started and work finished remains narrow. This helps maintain shorter cycle times and ensures that business value is delivered faster.
How to Prioritize Effectively
Focus on Value, Not Age
A common mistake teams make is prioritizing tasks based on how long they’ve been sitting in the backlog. While this might seem like a fair approach, it’s not necessarily the best for delivering business value. Instead, focus on value-based prioritization, picking the tasks that will deliver the most value to the business and completing them first.
When teams focus on value, they can:
Deliver high-impact features quickly
Maximize business ROI
Shorten cycle times, leading to quicker wins and a more predictable delivery schedule
Stop Starting, Start Finishing: Why It Matters
At the end of the day, the key to high-performing teams is simple: stop starting work and start finishing it. When teams focus on finishing tasks, they can reduce cycle times, improve throughput, and deliver more value to the business in a shorter amount of time.
Benefits of Finishing Work Before Starting New Tasks:
Increased productivity by reducing context switching
Faster delivery times for business-critical features
Greater focus on delivering value to the business
Predictability in delivery timelines, giving stakeholders confidence in the team
How to Implement This Mindset:
Limit WIP: Only allow a set number of tasks to be in progress at any given time.
Focus on value-based prioritization: Pick tasks that deliver the highest value to the business and complete them before starting new ones.
Monitor cycle times: Use tools like Cumulative Flow Diagrams to ensure that work is being finished at a steady pace.
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Conclusion
The principle of stop starting and start finishing isn’t just a Lean idea, it’s a universal truth that applies to all teams, whether they’re practicing Scrum, Lean, or another framework. By focusing on finishing work before starting new tasks, teams can avoid the cognitive drain of multitasking, improve efficiency, and deliver greater value to the business. If you’d like to learn more about how to apply this principle in your team, feel free to book a call with us or visit our website for more insights and upcoming classes. We’d love to help your team start finishing!
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Questions this answers
Why is it better for Scrum and Lean teams to stop starting new work and focus on finishing existing tasks?
Because multitasking and having too much work in progress create context switching, cognitive drain, longer cycle times, and burnout, teams become less productive as they juggle more work. Scrum and Lean recommend limiting work in progress, focusing on value-based prioritization, and finishing current tasks to reduce cycle times, improve throughput, and deliver more business value faster and more predictably.
How can my Scrum or Lean team implement a ‘stop starting, start finishing’ mindset in practice?
Teams can implement this mindset by explicitly limiting work in progress, using a Product Owner or defined workflow to funnel and prioritize work by business value, monitoring cycle times with tools like Cumulative Flow Diagrams, and focusing on completing high‑value tasks before starting new ones. These practices reduce context switching, keep the gap between work started and work finished small, and ensure faster, more predictable delivery of value.
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