Philosophy scientists can use Part I: A Place for everything
Welcome to the first post of seven about aphorisms that contain wisdom which can be used by scientists, if you missed the introduction to this series we recommend you check it out. This week we are discussing the phrase:
“A Place for everything, and everything in its place”
How many times have you torn your home apart looking for your keys because you forgot where you abandoned them? The simple way to prevent this far too regular occurrence would be to have a place where my keys always live but just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s easy; we humans are creatures of habit – for better and worse. Like many of the aphorisms we’re going to discuss the meaning behind this phrase will appear obvious at first glance - make sure that everything has a home and once you’ve used it, makes sure that it goes back to that home. This may seem like common sense but you’d be surprised how often people forget to use their common sense.
The origin of this aphorism is unclear. A quick search suggests that despite any substantial evidence the phrase can be traced to the 17th Century. The earliest reference is to a religious text which discusses the proverb “The Lord hath set everything in its place and order.” While this differs from the current version of the aphorism it’s not difficult to spot the similarities. Given the way that language changes over time the next time this phrase crops up, around the 18th Century, it becomes more like the phrase we now know. During this period it was taken up by those of a nautical persuasion (sailors), a context which should not be that surprising; as a sailor being able to reliably find equipment could literally save your life.
Moving away from aquatic careers the modern day usage of has decreased but there are two times when you may have previously heard this aphorism. Firstly at work, particularly in jobs which, as with sailors, require ready access to essential tools e.g. medical and emergency service personnel. Once again in these jobs reliably knowing where your equipment is can literally be a matter of life and death. The second most common place this aphorism has been used in recent decades is in and around the home; it’s not difficult to imagine being scalded by a parent to put used kitchen utensils or discarded shoes back where they belong. The same principle which has made this aphorism useful in these situations also makes it especially useful for scientists. More specifically, if you start applying this wisdom to your life it will:
Save you time
It’s a pain to misplace your phone for an hour but misplacing a piece of lab-ware is just as frustrating, if not more so. You might spend half a day tearing the lab apart searching for that one piece of equipment that you need to start your experiment. This just ends up wasting your time and can throw you schedule into disarray. Instead, make sure every piece of equipment no matter how small has a home and, more importantly, is always returned there once you’ve used. This could save you a significant amount of time so that you can start a day confident you will start when you mean too.
Prevent future headaches
A few months ago you got some really good data and it would be perfect for that presentation you’ve got coming up…but you can’t remember where you saved it…or what the folder was called. That piece of data is gone – lost to the depths of your hard drive and forgotten subfolders. This can easily be avoided if you make the effort to properly store and categorise your data. This is useful for two reasons, firstly many funding bodies require that you keep all your data readily accessible. Secondly, you never know when a vicious reviewer will ask for more data and you’ll have to track it down so you can smugly rub it in their face. It can seem like a monotonous task and usually comes down to personal preference but spending some quality time finding/developing a filing system that you can sustainably manage really makes life easier for your future self.
Decrease the risk of something going wrong
I’ll be honest, when it comes to samples I can be a bit of a hoarder; I still have samples from many months ago that I no longer need but still feel bad throwing away. Thankfully, my samples aren’t dangerous but that’s not always the case. Good lab practice dictates that you don’t leave dangerous chemicals lying around, but it does happen. With every sample and chemical you need to ask yourself, honestly, if it still serves a purpose. If the answer is no, then get rid of it. Likewise, the reverse is true – if a sample is truly important make sure that you know what it is and where it belongs; you don’t want a sample that is both expensive and potentially unique to be misplaced because of your laziness.
Hopefully there is some wisdom in this aphorism that you can learn from and the next time you walk into the lab remember that everything from pipettes to data should have its own place, and it’s your responsibility, as a good scientist, to make sure that it is put where it belongs.
Can you think of any more reasons that this aphorism could be useful to a scientist? Let us know on twitter.