This post is a continuation on tips for transitioning to a LEAN office. Last week, I posted some suggestions for streamlining prep for meetings and trainings. Today I'll offer some tips for reducing time waste:
1) Create Mini-Work Stations
Save time by creating small areas where you can complete a task in it's entirety. For example, I have an area near my printer where I manage paper. My 3 hole punch, scissors, paper clips, and stapler are all neatly lined up.
My work station for paper.
I also have a "cubby" near my desk that contains all of my mailing supplies (labels, stamps, envelopes) for mailing projects.
2) Speed up Archiving
Paper takes time. It must be shuffled, organized, filed, stored, and retrieved. To save time, I've gone electronic for almost all my documents.
When I bring home papers of any kind, most of them get recycled as soon as I sit down. Items I want to keep get put through my desktop scanner, which instantly converts them to PDF. I picked up the Fujitsu S300 for this purpose - it is fast, scans both sides of the page, and can handle stacks of paper. It runs about $300, which is pricey, but far less than comparable models.
A desktop scanner for one-button archiving.
3) Keep it Easy!
The biggest time savers for me have simply been moving the things I need most often within easy reach. For example, my desk always has a variety of pens and a stack of sticky notes at the ready, because I use these tools all the time. Think about "What do I use?" "What items do I use together?" and put frequently used items nearby, and lesser used items neatly organized but further away.
Three tips to organize your LEAN office. What suggestions do you have to add?
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