{"id":1518,"date":"2019-08-21T00:12:27","date_gmt":"2019-08-21T04:12:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/learn5sdev.wpengine.com\/?p=202"},"modified":"2025-12-16T11:51:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T16:51:17","slug":"what-ben-franklin-can-teach-us-about-5s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.compliancesigns.com\/blog\/what-ben-franklin-can-teach-us-about-5s\/","title":{"rendered":"What Benjamin Franklin can teach us about 5S"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I have a feeling Benjamin Franklin would love the 5S methodology. He was a very orderly guy. In fact, the well-known 5S phrase, \u201cA place for everything and everything in its place,\u201d is widely considered to have come from Ben Franklin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of his personal habits have been used by people all over the world since the 1700s. For instance, his method of planning was adopted by Hyrum W. Smith, in 1984, who founded The Franklin Planner Company. Executives took to the planner like a duck to water. It helped many order their day and prioritize goals.<\/p>\n\n\n

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How many 5S-like practices can you spot in Benjamin Franklin’s practices?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Benjamin Franklin also had a very interesting practice that started with a list of 13 virtues:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Temperance:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u201cEat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Silence:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u201cSpeak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Order:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u201cLet all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Resolution:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u201cResolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Frugality:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u201cMake no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Industry:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u201cLose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Sincerity:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u201cUse no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Justice<\/strong>:<\/em>\u00a0\u201cWrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Moderation:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u201cAvoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. Cleanliness:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u201cTolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. Tranquility:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u201cBe not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  12. Chastity:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u201cRarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another\u2019s peace or reputation.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  13. Humility:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u201cImitate Jesus and Socrates.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The notebook<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Franklin kept a small book with 13 pages. On the top of each page, he listed the days of the week. On the left, he listed each virtue. He evaluated himself at the end of the day. Next, to each virtue he had failed to follow, he\u2019d place a dot in the box. The goal was to minimize the number of \u201cdots,\u201d so as to indicate he was living a \u201cclean\u201d life, free of vice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Each week, Franklin would focus on one virtue, placing that virtue at the top of the chart, along with a short explanation of its meaning. After 13 weeks (approximately 3 months), he had progressed through all 13 virtues and then would start over again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Shop 5S Motivation Posters:<\/h3>\n\n
    \"Remember<\/a><\/td>\"5S<\/a><\/td>\"5S<\/a><\/td>\"5S<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n

    Did you notice the 5S-like behaviors?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n