Watch out, you have a constraint

A friend pointed me to Leo Babauta on the creativity of constraints

Yes: constraints force us to be creative.

Often, constraints, limitations, are seen as a negative, but to me they’re a feature. They might restrict freedom and force sacrifices, sure, but they also force us to choose. And to work within and around the constraints.

Leo's focus is on personal constraints and creativity, but they apply in business as well.  In fact, rewrite the above to be business-centric and it's the same.

Your business has a constraint.  Find it.  If it's not actively providing value, it is being wasted.  If it isn't a constraint, it cannot by definition be providing value all the time.  (And please don't attempt to balance capacity everywhere - that will guarantee more waste at your real constraint.)

[Photo: "Entrelac Torus" by fuzzyjay]