Systematically Arrange Your Work From Home Office For Best Productivity

Jan 19
09:00

2009

Chandrasoma Perera

Chandrasoma Perera

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When working from home to be free of distractions you need to organize your office area. A well arranged working area infuences your mind also to be relaxed and be conducive to work. The results of a well thought of and properly arranged place of work whether at home or otherwise are higher productivity through efficiency in handling work and pleasing surrounding that is an impetus to creativity.

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When you become your own boss and your home becomes your own business centre,Systematically Arrange Your Work From Home Office For Best Productivity Articles your first priority will be to arrange a place to work as you need a business office.

Working from home-sweet-home will have many distractions, unless you plan and organize your working area so that you will love to be there and enjoy your work being free of stress.

Your office has to be arranged with focus on time saving methods that facilitate efficiency. This will enable you to have more time for your family. Because you will have more output from less time you spend in your organized business office.

For organizing a work from home office, certain principles of good house keeping are involved. To organize you can use 5S methodology that is time tested.

The 5S methodology was originated in Japan. It helps to systematically organize any work place or area of activity.

The significance of 5S principals are that they can be applied to areas big or small. The 5S principles are simple and effective. The 5S methods can be used to organize even a small unit of activity like your handbag or briefcase.

The 5S principles when practiced properly ensure 'a place for a thing and a thing in its place'. Wherever applied the 5S methods improve the beauty, efficiency and productivity of the place. In Japan 5S can be seen usefully applied in offices, kitchens, rooms, roads, gardens, homes, warehouses and big factories as well and such places are beautiful to look at from outside and inside too.

The 5S principles helps to reduce the space needed and maximize the speed of retrieval of files, tools, books or any item that you need for your work. This amazing system is called 5S because it uses five Japanese words all starting with the letter 'S'. Additionally, in Asian countries the number '5' is traditionally a very important number.

The inventive 5S methodology can be explained in brief as follows;

Step-01, SEIRI- Sort - To keep what is necessary only and discard what is not necessary.

Step-02, SEITON -Specify location - To locate what is found as necessary in proper places so that they can be picked up quickly and with minimum effort when needed.

3, SEISO -Clean/clear - To clean the work place regularly to be free of rubbish, be neat and tidy.

4, SEUKETSU - Cleanliness - To plan and make arrangements, time schedules on best ways to maintain cleanliness.

5, SHITSUKI- Self discipline (Motivation) - To train and discipline every user of the work place on 5S procedures.

The practice of 5S starts with its first principle that is 'Seiri'.  This involves sorting and identifying what is necessary and frequency of expected use and also things that will not be necessary at all.

During 'Seiri' you may come across many things small or big that has no purpose to be kept there. To do this properly you may need the participation of your home people too as team work always helps. You will be surprised to find items that will never be needed i.e. broken and not repairable items that can easily be discarded making extra space available.

The second 5S principle namely Seiton is to identify, sort, label or tag and index the items found to be necessary. This will make it easy for you to trace an item within a few seconds of looking for it. Any visual methods to identify such as using color codes, direction arrows or location indicators will be used. That will facilitate finding and picking up of any item from its location instantly. You can be innovative in doing this. You cam introduce your own coding or visual methods for easy identifying of items. Such visual attractive methods will enhance the beauty and the effectiveness of the arrangements.

The third S of 5S principles called Seiso is to ensure a clean and tidy place to work by cleaning, sweeping and dusting etc.

The fourth S of 5S principles referred to as Seuketsu involves the standardizing the maintenance of all arrangements set up in previous stages with set routines, schedules etc, to maintain the workplace clean and in the way it should be kept.

The fifth S of 5S that is Shitsuke means ensuring that 5S methods are clearly understood and practiced by every one involved, by means of continued training on 5S practice and self discipline.

The 5S principles help people to think analytically, with focus on efficiency. The practice of 5S leads to improved business performance as evident from Japan's industrial success.

Since the 5S methodology will make your home and your business office a pleasing environment, it will make you feel that home is where really the heart is.