Laying the foundations
Taking inspiration from Japanese Philosophy
It’s been a minute! I know, I know, I need to work on this consistency thing. I’m a work-in-progress. But I keep trying and I *will* improve, which brings me to this week’s topic.
This week we’ve entered the second half of 2024, and I don’t know about you, but I’m motivated to level up and end the year on a high. 🎯🎯🎯
To do this, we need to get a few things in order. I’m talking about all things productivity, optimization, and lifestyle, infused with a little timeless wisdom. I’ve always had a fascination with Japanese culture and in this post, I’m going to share one topic in particular which I find extremely practical.
*Ok so, full disclosure, I may be a teeny bit, slightly, possibly, probably, just a little obsessed with optimization. But this is a safe space right?* In any case, let’s dive in.
The Kaizen Principle: Small Steps, Big Changes
First things first, what’s Kaizen all about?
At its core, Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy that means “change for the better” or continuous improvement. It’s about making small, incremental changes to enhance efficiency and productivity.
No grand overhauls or dramatic shifts (I feel 100% called out on this)—just steady, ongoing tweaks that lead to significant improvements over time.
Overachievers, this one's for you
I see you, my fellow hyper-productive, overstimulated optimizers! Those of us who are typically Type-A personalities, we constantly set ambitious goals, only to find ourselves overwhelmed and stuck in a loop of overcommitting and underachieving.
Sound familiar? Let me break it down with my own situation:
The Problem:
* Consistently falling off track
* Ineffective and inefficient progression towards goals
* Feeling overwhelmed, leading to burnout or a sense of failure
Current Processes:
* Calendar time-blocking
* Relying heavily on motivation
* No accountability system
A New Solution: Kaizen
Kaizen takes the pressure off being perfect. Instead of aiming for grand achievements, focus on 1% incremental improvements. This philosophy lowers the stakes, making your goals more manageable and less stressful.
Applying the Kaizen Approach: A Personal Experiment
Here’s what I’m doing instead: focusing on 2-3 primary goals, aiming for 1% better every day, and planning with flexibility for change and adaptation.
🕵🏼♀️ Step 1: Identify the Problem
I found myself struggling with consistency, falling off track, and feeling overwhelmed. My progression towards goals was inefficient, and I often felt burnt out.
🔬 Step 2: Analyze Current Processes
My typical approach included rigid calendar time-blocking and relying on bursts of motivation without a solid accountability structure.
💡 Step 3: Develop Solutions
Front-load my day with the hardest tasks: Tackle the most challenging tasks first when my energy is at its peak. My energy tends to dip around lunch time, so here’s when I tackle mind-numbing tasks or move my body to refocus. It’s key to figure out what schedule works for you, and while I appreciate not everyone may have the same flexibility, do what you can.
Make my plan public: Sharing my goals with a friend or colleague (or the entire internet -👀 eek!) for added accountability. Now, before I move on, I do want to mention one thing. Don’t fall into the dopamine trap - most people get a dopamine hit when talking about their goals, so much so that they don’t feel the need to actually follow through. Your brain is fooling you into thinking you did the thing. Don’t fall for it, do the thing.
Alternate goals every day: Focusing on a different goal on alternate days to maintain pure focus and prevent burnout. This one is a new tactic I’m trying, where I assign specific days to a specific goal. My hypothesis for this is that I feel like I try to tick off to much in 1 day, and when I don’t have all boxes checked, I still don’t feel like I’ve “won” the day. So instead of aiming for 1% across 3 goals, it’s way more achievable to aim for 1% across 1 goal, and use the motivation from completing a task to fuel the next day.
👩🏼🔬 Step 4: Test Solutions
I’m currently in the testing phase, applying these changes to see how they impact my productivity and well-being. So stay tuned, I’ll share my findings next month.
📏 Step 5: Measure and Analyze Results
The next step will be to evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies. I’ll be looking at how well I stick to my goals, my overall progress, and how I feel throughout the process. I promise to bare all, the wins as well as the epic fails.
🗒️ Step 6: Standardize the Solution
Based on the results, I’ll decide whether to cement this process as a new routine or go back to the drawing board for further tweaks.
Your Kaizen Challenge for the Month
This month, I challenge you to pick one area of your life—be it work, home, health, or relationships—and apply the Kaizen principle. Choose one small, manageable change and stick with it for the next 30 days. Track your progress and notice the positive ripple effects in your life.
Remember, the whole point of this is to build brick by brick. So when things feel overwhelming, just focus on the first task, then the next and the next, and so on.
Have a contentful week 🌞
Emma