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Amazing Japanese Technique to Overcome Laziness

How do you do it?

By Dev DodsonPublished 2 years ago 5 min read
Amazing Japanese Technique to Overcome Laziness
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Doesn't it seem like your life is in full swing? That it doesn't change at all and all your attempts to introduce something new into it are doomed to failure?

You want to start doing sports, learn a new language, learn to play a musical instrument… But every time you leave it for later.

Are you convinced that you will do it tomorrow or, say, on Monday or in the first days of next month, so that it will be easier for you to monitor your progress, or even from January 1… In a word, push the target forward and further as you begin to move toward her.

But to get rid of old bad habits and replace them with new and positive ones, you need not only time but also patience. We like procrastination, so we do it at the first opportunity.

We just love our comfort zone too much

Sometimes it is not so easy to force yourself to carry at least something to the end. When we start a new business, at first we burst with enthusiasm, which gradually disappears.

We don't want to wait and move on to the goal step by step. We want to get it all at once.

What is certain is that to develop a good habit in you, you need at least 21 days, but for this habit to become permanent - up to 90 days. In general, it requires significant strength and discipline and, in addition, the ability to wait patiently.

One of the ways that can help you in your endeavor is the unique Japanese kaizen philosophy. The literal translation of the Japanese word sounds like "continuous improvement." "Kai" means change, and "Zen" means wisdom. This philosophy involves making life changes, but not changes that come to us suddenly and under the influence of the moment, but slow and consistent changes based on an understanding of what is happening and a rich life experience.

This philosophy was first used in Japan shortly after the end of World War II. After the bombing, the country was ruined, factories and entire industries were destroyed, and the Japanese looked for a way to speed up the recovery process.

When you have nothing and you have to take everything at once and don't forget to reach your personal goals, at first it may seem like an impossible task… But the Japanese still managed to cope with this, all thanks to the kaizen philosophy. Although the name itself appeared later.

The concept of "kaizen" literally conquered the whole world after the Japanese philosopher Masaaki Imai described this idea in detail in his book of the same name, published in 1986. He explained that following this philosophy leads to an almost complete reorientation of his life and the emergence of new ways to achieve its goals.

To do this, as he wrote, you must learn to follow the "one-minute principle."

What is the "one-minute principle"?

This principle is very simple - you have to imagine that the road to your goal only takes a minute now! Using this principle, you are more likely to soon see the signs of improvement that you have been looking for for so long.

The basis of this technique is as follows: a person has to perform a specific task for only one minute, but every day and at the same time. Do not be surprised, at first glance, it seems too short a gap everything is planned to drive laziness away from you.

If you set yourself the goal of doing something new for half an hour every day, then you will most likely make up a bunch of excuses for not doing so, and in the end, don't spend ten minutes doing it.

Of course, you may be wondering what one minute is. And really, is it possible to do something in one minute? It is possible.

For example, if you are learning a foreign language, then in a minute you can read one or even two pages of a book in that language while pronouncing what you read aloud to improve your diction! The main thing is not how much you do, but that you do it constantly and regularly.

The regularity and success of these tasks will bring you joy and satisfaction, motivating you to new achievements. And if you can't do this at the usual time, then you can complete this task before going to bed or in the morning before breakfast.

Yes, long sessions of trying to learn something new may seem pointless and fruitless, but we will be happy to detach ourselves every day, to give ourselves a minute for the same thing. First of all, you won't think you're wasting your time. After all, what exactly is a minute?

And the pleasant feeling that, with the help of these one-minute tasks, you help to overcome laziness will make you fulfill them again and again.

Over time, you will be able to increase the time you are employed in this business - first up to five minutes, then up to ten, and you will not notice how you spend an entire hour improving yourself and gaining new ones. habits and do not feel guilty.

To constantly improve in something, you need a clear plan and the right pattern of behavior. Here are some steps to help you learn the kaizen technique:

1. Standardization

Plan your way to your chosen goal, break it down into milestones, and at least determine when you can reach it and what you need for it.

2. Measure

Measure how far you have progressed toward your chosen goal using statistics - for example, the average time you take to complete your next task, and so on.

3. Compare

Compare what you have achieved with what you need - this will help you gain new motivation. How efficient are you using your time? Do certain actions draw you closer to your goal? Maybe you should try a different approach?

4. Try something new

If you do something familiar, that doesn't mean there aren't newer, simpler, and better ways to do the same thing. The search for the best ways to do this is never-ending, and we can always learn something new. Look for new and shorter paths to the same goal.

5. Repeat

Go back to step number one and start again.

Kaizen allows you to take control of your life and work, removing laziness and inefficiency. Yes, it is not easy to let the passion fade away.

However, if you do this, you will receive an inexhaustible source of inspiration, and you will finally begin to use all your energy efficiency and not spend it on all sorts of small things.

Energy, time, and effort - kaizen will help you start using them for your good.

Kaizen will help you improve your motivation and concentration, so accept this philosophy and change your life!

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    DDWritten by Dev Dodson

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