Use 5S to Create a More Productive Workspace
Research has shown that decluttering your workspace can reduce stress and improve focus, while stress at work can actually lead to more clutter. It is important to clean up your environment so that the place where you work is comfortable, calm and hygienic. Use the 5S method to do this most effectively.
What is the 5S method of workplace cleaning?
The 5S method , like Kanban and Kaizen , came from Japan, where organizational processes developed in factories and were so useful that their use spread far beyond Toyota and other manufacturers. The method addresses the five S-words it is based on: seiri , seiton , seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke , but if you don’t speak Japanese, don’t worry. They have also been translated into five words in English: sorting , tidying up , shining , standardizing and maintaining . There is sometimes a sixth “s” for security, which makes sense given the system’s factory settings.
This method has many applications outside of factories and is particularly useful in healthcare settings, construction sites and classrooms. However, for you, it may all be about your desk, and that’s okay. The 5S system is adaptable.
How does 5S work?
The five pillars of this technique provide a framework for organizing and tidying in a way that minimizes waste and increases productivity. Instead of viewing the five steps in order as a one-time operation, view them as a cycle that you repeat over and over again. When you’re done with the fifth, you’ll go back to the first. For the most part, you should start with a sort, but you can use one at any time and start moving through the cycle. Here’s what to do:
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Sort : Get rid of everything you don’t need in your work area. If it’s not needed for what you’re doing, remove it. Use drawers, storage containers or under-desk organizers to hide things you don’t need at the moment. Whenever possible, make storage containers opaque to prevent their contents from distracting you. This set of two baskets with sliding doors is ideal, as is this drawer system that hides unnecessary items under the table. The sorting period is also the period when you should throw away garbage or anything completely useless.
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Shine : Once the space is tidy and cleared of anything unnecessary, it’s time to declutter. This can be as simple as wiping down surfaces with disinfectant or tossing crumbs in the trash, but cleaning for sanitary reasons is different from tidying up, so don’t skip it. Check out this list of gadgets to give your desk a deep clean , but make sure there’s room in the compartments for them.
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Organizing : Now take a look at your storage containers. During the sorting period, you can simply throw everything unnecessary into them, but when you put things in order, you need to make them more efficient. Designate bins for different categories, such as office supplies, reference materials, specialty work tools, etc. Make sure the items you need most often are in a convenient location, such as a drawer under your desk, and the items you need needed less frequently, still available, but more removed. This is where it helps to use tags for maximum efficiency.
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Standardize : This step is a little different from the first three, which are all about organizing and tidying up. Standardization is about creating a protocol that will keep things organized and clean, and integrating it into your actual workflow. The easiest way to do this is to set aside time in your schedule for regular 5S maintenance and desk cleaning. This should be part of your regular to-do list. For example, if you use the 1-3-5 to-do list method , 5S maintenance might become one of five small tasks for the day. Be sure to set aside time for this at least once a week, ideally by scheduling time into your calendar when you schedule time . As you go through the 5S cycle, you can always make changes to your standardization if you’re not cleaning enough, if things are piling up, or if your appliances aren’t working for some reason, so don’t just skip step four. your next time.
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Sustain : This step is about sticking with it. Commit to following the standardization protocol you established in step four and treating all “S” words regularly and in order. The more you do this, the more it will become a habit and the more efficient your workspace will be.
Keep in mind that when sorting, your goal is not only to create more space to work with, but also to reduce the number of distractions and reduce the amount of time you spend finding what you need when you need it. When you shine, you want to reduce waste and keep the area safe and pleasant to work in, which is an important element of productivity. On-site installation makes your job easier by making things available to you when you need them and you can find them where you expect them, resulting in less time wasted. Standardization and support will help you make sure the procedure is followed and works for you, so you end up spending less time on it all.