The Japanese philosophy of Kaizen promises to remedy its bad habits gently and effectively. But how, exactly? We give you all the advice to change (better).
This year again, you promised yourself to quit smoking, to be less stressed, to read at least one novel per month, to spend less time on your phone, to save money … You lasted two weeks. The Kaizen method is a bit the opposite of good New Year's resolutions, which are taken and never held.
In Japanese, Kaizen translates to "positive change" or "continuous improvement". This Japanese philosophy is based on a smooth, long-term change, without feeling guilty. It’s also his creed: to go step by step, to stay on track.
What is the Kaizen method?
In Japanese, the name kaizen means improvement – slight or significant, punctual or continuous. In his book Kaizen, the Japanese method of small steps to change your habits, Sarah Harvey explains: "It is often linked to the practice of martial arts, which encourage meticulous and patient work of each gesture in order to improve the general performance. It’s all about focusing on one thing at a time and practicing until you get a good result. ”
Also called the method of small steps, it was first applied in the world of work, the most famous example being Toyota and its improved production line, before establishing itself in the world of personal development. Kaizen is based on the idea of gradual and continuous progression, rather than a sudden upheaval (and untenable over time for most people). It is about introducing small changes to your daily life which you will hardly perceive the difference but which, cumulatively, will have visible results. "The Kaizen method does not require any drastic action: it is a question of making changes so tiny that you will hardly perceive the difference on a daily basis! " notes the author.
The main principles of the Kaizen method
Before you start, be aware that there are a few essential principles to adopt:
- Have a goalwhether material or personal (doing something or becoming someone better)
- To question ourselves constantly: to improve, you have to accept to see your faults
- Prioritize changes: it is preferable to favor easy, rapid and inexpensive progress to set up
- Do not aim for perfection but continuous improvement. Perfection will be achieved by repeating small improvements made every day
- Identify the root cause of the problems to solve them in the long term. To tackle entrenched bad habits, you have to identify their triggers
- Make small concrete changes: the Kaizen method amounts to making small changes every day in order to get a bigger one in the end. Every change made is a positive change
The Kaizen method is essentially based on the notion of habit. A habit, once installed, will no longer require as much energy as a new action. On this subject, Sarah Hervey writes: “Articles on the subject often brandish the magic number 21 days to create a new habit. But a study by psychologists has revealed that this figure has absolutely no value. " The time required to change a habit ranges from 18 days to 254 days, for an average of 66 days.
Steps to get into Kaizen
1. Take inventory of your habits
Start by taking stock of your current life. The idea is to take stock of the different aspects of your life (health, career, money, relationships …). At the same time, think about new projects and challenges to get started. If you're scared of the task, focus on one or two things to get started. You will be more motivated by seeing your inventory consist of your old habits to modify and new things to try.
Focus on your existing habits. For each section, be honest and ask yourself if you are really satisfied and if you are doing your best to achieve your goals. Here are some questions to help you:
– What is my degree of success in this area?
– How could I do better, or why am I ineffective?
– What would the ideal situation look like?
– What are the small steps in the short term?
– What would long-term success look like?
Do you want to embark on a new project? Start by expressing everything that comes into your head and ask yourself these questions again:
– What does this project involve?
– Why do I want to make it happen?
– What tiny action can I start with?
2. Take small steps
Good things come to those who wait for. Once you've defined the different categories of your life that you want to work on, it's time to prioritize. Ask yourself if there are " quick wins "that you could easily achieve and operate by area. This will save you from putting yourself under pressure that would be completely counterproductive. Note the smallest step that could help you reach your goal (understanding losing a habit, improving another, or completing a new challenge).
Another important point: give yourself realistic and reasonable deadlines. If you've started yoga, start with a fortnightly lesson, so you can gradually increase your sessions and measure your progress – which is good for morale.
3. Be accountable (to yourself)
Now that you have an idea of what you want and the small steps you need to take to get there, it's time to track your progress. There are several options available to you: go buy a bullet journal (bujo for friends), make an old-fashioned table that you will proudly display at home, tell a friend about it for support or download a tracking app to keep track of your progress. It's up to you to find the one that suits you the most!
4. Reward yourself
With each small victory, its reward! If succeeding in achieving a goal seems quite satisfactory in itself, do not hesitate to reward your progress. Buy yourself a new notebook, a new plant, treat yourself or go out to the restaurant with your friends. These little pleasures will be precious allies to encourage you to continue on this path and to motivate you.
For further
Kaizen, the Japanese method of small steps to change your habits, Sarah Harvey, ed. Hugo & cie
Change with Kaizen, Christie Vanbremeersch, ed. First