The First Two Words I Learned In Japanese Were Wrong
But they were the modus operandi for everything I did
When I was around 12, my dad excitedly told my siblings and me about an exciting concept he had learned at work. Some Japanese trainers had come to work to teach them the importance of cleanliness on the work floor and how that improved efficiency. He had a little pamphlet with literature and Japanese pictures explaining the concept.
I don’t know why we found it particularly interesting. Was it because we were introduced to a foreign language we could brag about, the fact that it was a dad-and-kid moment, or because we intuitively believed in it?
Whatever the reasons, it appealed to us.
As kids, we were introduced to cleaning and keeping our things organized and independent at a young age. Mum and Dad worked, and we did the chores.
Dad taught us that the Japanese concept of cleanliness meant that the most important thing was to look at the mess and sort it out. That was the first and most crucial step.
Sorting meant looking through the mess or stuff or sieving what was essential and not necessary. According to this concept, there was a high chance that things not used for six months or more would never be used -and there was no point in keeping them. Hoarding and keeping excess served no purpose. It only added to chaos and did not improve efficiency.
So when we did our cleaning, we always looked at things we didn’t use or hadn’t used for six months in the house, and we’d find ways to remove them from our physical space.
Recycling was part of Indian culture, so removing things from our space meant we could always find others who needed them. We could sell them, donate them, or, if no one else needed them, sell trash for a few pennies.
It was a fun activity.
I learned that sorting in Japanese was Shiro, and the phrase “getting rid of things we didn’t need” was Shibaka.
Our siblings are in their late forties now, and Dad is in his early seventies, but we still use these words today.
They are part of our regular jargon.
The funny thing is that a few days ago, as I remembered this, I Googled the actual concept because all this was just from our memory as young kids.
To my surprise, I found out that there are no such words as “Shiro” and “Shibaka” in Japanese.
While digging deeper into this concept, I discovered that it relates to the 5S of good housekeeping, which are derived from the Japanese words Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, and Shitsuke.
The 5S is roughly translated in English as sort, set in order, sweep, standardize, and sustain. I’m guessing we couldn’t pronounce the actual Japanese words, so we made them closest to what we could pronounce.
So, our first two Japanese words, Shiro and Shibaka, which we have used for decades, were wrong, yet they had a profound impact on us.
The cornerstone of 5S is that untidy, cluttered work areas are not productive. In addition to the physical implications of junk getting in everybody’s way and dirt compromising quality, we are all happier in a clean, tidy environment and, hence, more inclined to work hard with due care and attention.
The first S of sorting is the most difficult as you stare at the mess and the new big thing in front of you.
People hesitate to stare at their messes or things that scare them because they overwhelm or confuse them, or they fear them. So instead of staring at them and getting their hands dirty, they put them under the rug, pretend they’re not there, hope they go away, or sort themselves out on their own.
But it never does.
As time passes, the mess or issue only gets bigger.
The first step is the most essential. We must take it before we become stuck in the same place or consumed by the mess or problems we face.
Once we get our hands dirty and start sorting and sieving the things we need and eliminating things we don’t need, we have more space, energy, clarity, and drive to do more and better.
Nothing can beat us when we find what works, create a routine or system, and stick to it.
This works for everything in life, not just cleaning. The first step is to get your hands dirty, stare at the mess and problem before you, and begin sorting.
Once we sort and tidy our stuff or life, the next three steps are as easy as pie. When you’ve sorted, eliminated the unnecessary, and cleaned the mess, you’ll automatically know what works and keep it in order.
The 4th S, Standardization, means that once you know what is important and necessary, it is easy to maintain and upkeep. The 5th S Sustaining means being disciplined enough to ensure the system works and tweaking it as essential as you go along.
This has been part of my modus operandi for everything I’ve been doing. It has worked for all my routines—whether that was work, getting a new role at work or home, or navigating motherhood. My brothers will also credit this concept for making their lives easier.
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